On the Horizon
by Insanityinink
Summary: What happens after the Volturi leave and the Cullen's live happily ever after?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Regular Day

(BPOV)

The sun was starting to set. Soon it would be time to put Nessie to bed. Most of the time she slept with us in our perfect little cottage, thanks to Esme for giving it to me and Edward.

I would have to find a way some how to repay Esme for the endless kindness that she has shown me. I know that she is so happy that Edward and I are together and happy and she is always telling me how it is more than she could ever ask for. I still feel the need to return her gratitude. I would have to talk to Edward and see if there is something that she has been thinking about lately that we could help her with.

Though now that I think of it if Edward had heard Esme wish for anything I would not have been able to hold him for one eighth of a second before he would be out to get it for her. Edward loved his mother just as much as she loved him.

However, no love in the world could amount to half of the love I felt for him and every time I look at him I cant help but wonder when I will wake up from this wondrous dream.

Then I realize that I never want to wake up, if in fact this is a dream I wish that it would go on forever.

"What are you thinking right now, my love?" Edward had noticed my wandering thoughts.

I simply shook my head.

"I hate when you do that you know," he smiled that favorite smile of mine and if I could have I know that my heart would be fluttering like crazy and my cheeks would flush with embarrassment.

"Yeah I know," I smiled up at him. "Maybe I will tell you later, if you behave."

He scooped be up in his arms.

"Now where is the fun in that?" he slowly murmured as he gently brushed his lips on mine. "Is it worth it? Or should I continue to misbehave?"

I had to pause for a moment to recollect my thoughts. How did he still do this to me?

"No. It is not that important."

At that moment Jacob and Renesmee bounded into the living room. I had almost forgotten that we were not back at our own house in the private. Poor Jasper must be going crazy in the next room. It was not a big deal for us to be in the next room with any of the others.

They could all hear us just fine with their super hearing. Even I had it now that I was a vampire too. Only Jasper could 'feel' what was going on between us and I know that it would be altering his feelings to match our own. That must be so uncomfortable for him. Especially since he was in the dinning room playing chess with Emmett. It must be hard to keep an eye on the game when he was having feelings like the ones that were being shared in the next room.

"Sorry Jasper!" Edward must have been thinking the same thing as me and apologized for me so I wouldn't get upset.

"Hey Nessie sweetheart," I grabbed her up in my arms for a big hug. "How was hunting?"

She didn't have to say anything as I saw the pictures fly past my eyes as she touched my face.

"Wow! She beat you again did she Jake?" I smiled over my shoulder at him.

"You know I let her win," Jacob would never admit that he lost. At the same time I doubt that he would ever not let Nessie win. He loved when she won cause it made her so happy.

At that moment I heard Esme coming down the stairs, humming to herself a song that Edward composed. It was her favorite. Though I have to admit that I preferred the lullaby that he wrote for me.

"Hello grandma Esme," Renesmee ran up to her and hugged her around the waist.

"Why hello my darling," she smiled so big when she was around Nessie. Though it was hard not to no matter who you were.

Nessie touched Esme's face and I knew that she was getting the same playback from the hunting trip that I had recently received.

"That was such a big deer. I am so proud of you," Esme glanced over to where I still stood. I had been so content watching Nessie that I didn't even notice that Edward had walked up behind me and was now wrapping his arms around my waist and brushing my hair back off my shoulder. I closed my eyes enjoying his kissing on my neckline.

"I love you," he breathed deep in my ear.

If my heart were still beating I was sure it would have exploded at that moment.

"Please! Will you two please try to contain yourselves until you are back at your own house?" Jasper started ranting from the other room, "Edward you know she can hardly handle herself why do you push it?"

Edward laughed and I felt the cool air of his breath wash over my neck.

"That is it! I am going outside," I heard the door in the garage open and slam behind Jasper.

"Edward!" I turned to glare at him, "he is right. You should not do that to me when he is near. Its just not right."

Again Edward was laughing. Only this time I didn't find it funny in the least.

Then Esme caught my attention before I could really start to get onto Edward.

"Hey Nessie, what do you say to staying in your dad's old room with us tonight?" She winked toward where Edward and I were standing, "I know Alice would love to play dress up in the morning and do your hair."

"That would be so much fun Nessie," I heard Alice from her room upstairs where she was working on some new project I dared not think about. "I can see it now. Oh Nessie stay here and we will have so much fun!"

"See there you have it. What do you say?" Esme's grin could not get much bigger than it was.

"Ok grandma. I would love to play with aunt Alice," she smiled but could not hide the yawn that was begging to escape. "I am not tired."

"I think you are little lady," I walked over and took her from Esme. "Lets get you to bed."

I turned to smile at Edward, "Be right back!"

Nessie was already snoring by the time that I got her tucked in to the bed that Edward had purchased on my behalf when I was still human. I smiled at the room remembering how frustrated I got that a vampire that never slept had a bed in his room. The memory was vague but it was still there in my bank of human memories.

When I got back down stairs Edward, Jacob and Esme were still talking. I loved that Jake and Edward were getting along better now. Neither of them would admit it but I would go as far as to say that they even liked each others company.

"Thank you so much Esme," I smiled at her.

"No problem Bella," she put her arm around my waist. "I know that you two could use some extra time together. You have only had each other for a few months. Most of that time was taken up with that awful Vulturi visit."

I had been trying to block that memory from my head. The Vulturi coming to hurt my baby Nessie. Just the thought of it made my eye sight tint pink.

I closed my eyes and listened to the rapid heartbeat that I could hear coming from Edwards old room. I knew she would be safe here or there was no way I would let her stay here.

"She will be fine love," Edward rushed to my side to comfort me.

"I know that. I was just listening to her heartbeat," I closed my eyes again. "It is the most comforting noise."

"Yes it is," Edward kissed my cheek. "Its almost as comforting as your once erratic heartbeat. Ready to go?"

He softly breathed on my ear as he finished that last line and I let my mind wander right as Jasper was attempting to come back into the house.

"Dear me," I heard him sigh, "I thought that you two would be long gone by now."

"Its ok Jasper. We were just leaving," Edward scooped me up in his arms and then bolted out the back doors that were mostly left open so that we could easily come and go.

Edward ran us all the way back to our comfortable little house in the woods where we barely made it inside before we had destroyed the nice silky dress that Alice had just got me last week.

"Oops," I said as I dropped the last shard from my shoulder onto the floor, "oh well she only means for them to be worn once anyways."

Edward smiled at me as we made our way through to the bedroom where we would be occupied until a little after dawn when we would have to go and let Nessie show off the outfit that Alice had probably gone out tonight to get especially for tomorrow mornings dress up game.

If Nessie didn't enjoy it just as much as Alice I would tell her not to torture my little girl. However to my dismay Renesmee had not gotten her sense of style from her mother.

I laughed as I realized that I was still focusing on Nessie and not on the amazing body that my husband was trying to share with me. I decided to try and make things better for Edward as I pushed my shield away from my body to include him.

"Oh," he exclaimed as I started to let my mind wander over his beauty, "are we going to try this tonight?"

"I thought, why not."

After that there was not much coherency in either of our thoughts. Nothing but pure love and passion for each other.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Beginning of eternity

Once again the morning came too soon. I knew that if we didn't have to hurry back to take care of Nessie that Edward and I could stay like this for weeks. There was no getting tired. No getting hungry, not like when I was human. We could love each other as much as we could and more.

"Nessie." Edward muttered softly between kisses.

He knew exactly what to say to bring me back to the surface of my mind and back to my priorities.

"Ugh." I let out a quiet moan. "Lets get dressed."

I unwillingly untangled myself from Edward as we both slowly got to our feet and went to our much too extravagant closet that despite Esme's plans Alice had put in here.

Edward did not have a hard time getting dressed. He only had a tiny portion of the amount of clothes that I did. Usually I would go straight to the back where she hid the jeans and grab a pair and a regular t-shirt.

"I think I am going to wear something for Alice today." I admitted to Edward.

He was already at my side with his arms wrapped around me by the time I finished talking. He laid his chin on my shoulder. "I know Bella, love. She had the vision last night when she said that her and Esme would keep Nessie for you. I didn't want to give you away by saying anything."

He walked over to another part of the closet where I heard him grab something off the hanger and then came back baring what would have been a really pretty sun dress. Would have been pretty had I actually liked sun dresses, or dresses at all for that matter.

"For a dress it is kind of nice." I breathed.

"This is what she saw you wearing." He smirked, "You should have seen how hard it was for her to remain calm. She just wanted to run down the stairs and tell you which dress you picked out and how you were going to look so nice in it."

I saw the adoration in his eyes.

"Yeah well its Alice." was all I could think of.

I slipped the dress on and walked over to the floor length mirror. "Not too bad."

It was only just above my knee. So I wouldn't have any trouble running in it. Also it was loose but form-fitting at the same time.

"It looks better in person than it did." Edward was already dressed, "Her vision did not do you justice."

I grabbed a brush and went through the some what tangled mess of my hair from last night. I thought I sort of even looked nice with my hair down.

"Maybe I will." I started to say when Edward cut in.

"I know. She saw your hair down too."

"Wow." I smiled at the thought of Alice trying to contain herself after of vision of me being this girly. "She really had a hard time staying upstairs didn't she?"

Edward reached for my hand and we were both running at full speed towards the big house when Edward added, "You have no idea."

When we got closer to the house I could hear Alice and Renesmee upstairs giggling about something I had missed. At that exact moment I smelt the scent of my favorite werewolf.

I jolted to a stop cause I knew he was only seconds away from breaking through the trees where the wind had blown his smell towards me.

"Bella, what's wrong?" Edward questioned.

"Its Jacob." I smiled. " I just wanted to say good morning to him before we got into the house."

"Bella!" Jacob had just erupted through the trees just having phased back into human form. He ran full force towards me with this silly grin on his face.

"Don't think you are going to knock me down Jacob Black!" I said as I noticed his motives.

"Bet I can!" He laughed.

"I will see you two in the house I am going to go and check on Nessie." Edward kissed me on the forehead and then whispered in my ear, "Don't hurt the poor pup."

"Ha!." I said right as Edward was bounding through the back door. I jumped just in time for Jacob to think that he was going to get me but he was too late.

"Is that all you got, Jake?" I grinned invitingly at him.

"Not even close." he howled at me.

I turned and ran full force into the trees where he had been. I knew he could follow my scent, I also knew that I was faster than he was. "Come on, come get me."

I loved the feel of running. It was so liberating. To feel the air blowing through my hair and feel the speed in my feet. The forest had turned into a green mossy blur. I pondered how much I hated speed when I was human. Silly to think I would not enjoy this! It really did seem that I was born to be a vampire. No more tripping over flat surfaces. No more worrying about what danger I was pulling toward me this time. What ever it was I could handle it with my new strength.

Suddenly I realized that I was not being followed anymore. How long had be not been back there?

Panic. I would kill that pup if he went and got himself hurt while I was daydreaming. I turned on my heel and bolted back following my own trail to see how long he had not been following me. I made it almost all the way back to the clearing behind the house when I found his trail. I followed it, right into the house.

"Jacob Black!" I shouted when I got into the house. "Here! Now!"

I was so furious that I could barely see through the red tint to my sight.

"What?" I heard him laugh from upstairs. "We are watching Nessie show off her outfit!"

Oh! I had forgotten about the new clothes. I rushed upstairs still seeing red.

I found them in Alice and Jasper's room.

"Momma, what do you think about my pretty dress?" Alice had most certainly gone out last night to get this one. I had not seen it before.

"It's the most beautiful dress I have ever seen!" I ran over to give her a kiss.

"Mommy, your wearing a dress too." She mused at me. "We match!"

"That we do sweetie."

On that note I turned on Jacob.

"How dare you scare me like that?" I scolded closer to him. "I thought you were right behind me and then all of a sudden your gone?"

"Well, I ... Nessie..." He began. Then he paused and looked at me funny. "You didn't automatically notice I wasn't behind you?"

I had to pause. He had me there. I didn't want to admit that I was daydreaming again. Edward always says that I will get myself in trouble not paying attention like that.

"I was not listening to you." I offered. "I was just enjoying the speed. Too bad you wouldn't know what that feels like."

He smiled at my joke. "Sure, Sure Bella."

That was about all that Nessie could take of me distracting "her" Jacob. She pounced over to where we were talking and reached up to touch Jacob's face. he leant down and his eyes went blank for a minute while she showed him whatever she was wanting. I eyed Edward who I knew was listening in to what she was telling him.

"I think you should ask your mother first." Jacob and Edward said in unison.

Nessie turned toward me and reached up to touch my cheek. I picked her up and let her touch my face. As pictures of La Push and Billy came running through my vision.

"I don't care if you go with Jake to La Push." I remembered how much I loved going there too. I was not allowed anymore but they would never be able to tell Jacob that Nessie couldn't come. "Just be home before too late ok?"

"Ok mommy." Renesmee hopped down. "I will go say bye to Grandma and Grandpa."

As soon as I heard her on the stairs heading to the kitchen where Carlisle and Esme were I turned to Jacob again.

"You take care of her."

"What do you honestly think I would let happen to Nessie?" He looked offended at my accusation.

"If she starts to get thirsty bring her back here and hunt with her ok?" I started going through my list."Dont let her do anything crazy! Edward will know when she gets back."

"Bella Darling," Edward's voice sang in my ear. "Jacob knows everything. He has your speech memorized."

Jacob nodded his head as Nessie ran back into the room and jumped into his arms.

"Ready to go little one?" he questioned.

"Yeah." She hopped back down and started walking to the door. "Race you!" She screamed as she bolted from the room.

"Your on!" Jake said as he chased after her.

"Careful!" I yelled at them.

"They know Darling." Edward spun me around to kiss me gently on the cheek and then slowly closer to my lips as my would be heart felt like it was fluttering at 100 mph.

"My own room!" I heard Jasper say as he turned around to walk back down the stairs.

"No wait Jasper!" Edward called after him. "We will leave. Come and see your wife!"

"Thanks" Alice beamed up at us from the desk where she was sewing on something pink that I hoped was for Nessie and not me. "Oh, and I love your dress Bella. I am so glad that you decided to wear it!"

"Don't act like you didn't know I was going to." I smiled "Actually Edward picked it out of your vision for me this morning. It would have taken me an hour to find the perfect dress."

She smiled at me like she was proud of her daughters all "a" report card.

Edward pulled me from the room where Jasper and Alice now stood holding each other.

"What should we do today with out Nessie here?" Edward glided gracefully over to the piano and started playing my Lullaby.

"I was thinking about something earlier." I thought to myself how I wanted to say this so it didn't sound silly. "I want to start on my infinite wisdom."

Edward turned to look at me. "What does that mean exactly?" He smiled.

"I mean how you seem to know everything." I paused fitting the words together in my head. "I want to start learning something too!"

"That sounds like fun." He wheeled around to face me. I walked over to sit on his knee. "Where do you want to start?"

"I was thinking that I wanted to learn a new language." I smiled at my own revelation. "Something that Nessie and Jacob wont understand."

"Hmm." He thought for a moment. "French? Or maybe Italian? Greek?"

"Which one is your Favorite?" I leaned over to kiss him tenderly on the lips.

"Personally I would love to hear that wonderful voice of yours speaking French." he kissed me back. It was hard for us to sit here and not let ourselves get carried away. This wasn't our house. We had to be collected here.

"Ok then." I said a little too enthusiastically. "Lets get started."

We wandered up to the library and Edward started pulling books off the shelves and making a small pile on Carlisle's desk.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Decisions

I knew Carlisle was right. With Nessie growing this fast it would be hard to hide her growth from anyone in town. We were all supposed to be off at college and yet we were all still here. Carlisle was too young looking to pass for his age.

"I know that it is necessary. I Just don't think I was prepared for it this fast." Me and Edward were discussing the previous family meeting that we had. "Nessie did have a good point."

I remembered it well when Carlisle first mentioned that we were going to have to start making plans to leave. Not too far into the discussion between everyone about where to go Nessie had reached up and touched my face showing me a picture of Jacob. It had a sad feeling to it. Like she was going to miss him. I hadn't really thought much about it then but I would have to talk to them about it.

"About what Darling?" He sighed as he registered what I was talking about. "Jacob."

I nodded. "I don't think we can just leave him. He needs Nessie." I looked down at the now sleeping girl in my lap. "They need each other. I know how they feel and there is no way that I would let something as small as moving get in between their love."

"I understand what your saying, Bella." He paused. "Jacob is still really young. He is still in School. It would kill Billy to lose him now."

We both sat thinking about our revelation when we heard a knock at the door. My head jolted up. Was it morning already? Then I got a whiff of the person standing outside the door.

"Come in Jacob." Edward had read his thoughts before I registered his scent.

I heard the door and then I heard him check Renesmee's room first and then come quietly into our room. He barely got his head through the door when Nessie started stirring. I swear that it is like they are connected.

I looked at Edward. "Maybe I should take Nessie to the house while you talk to Jacob. I will talk to Carlisle and Esme when we get there."

Edward nodded. "Don't start freaking out just yet Jacob. Give me a minute to say goodbye and then we will start talking."

Edward Kissed me and Nessie a temporary goodbye. We turned for the door when Jacob caught my sight with his lost puppy look on his face.

"Alright but hurry." I handed Nessie over to him.

"Good Morning Nessie." He had positively lit up when she looked at him. "How was your night?"

She reached up to touch his face. I should have thought about the only thing that had happened that Jacob had not been there for.

It was about the time that Jacobs face turned red and he started shaking that was mine and Nessie's queue to leave. I snatched her up and ran out the door and headed straight for the house.

"Good luck Edward." I mumbled. I knew he could hear me. "Don't let him hurt my house."

I knew all too well what would happen when Jacob got mad. There was no way I was just going to stand there and chance him hurting Nessie. I had seen Emily and the regret on Sam's face when he saw the huge scar that he had permanently put on her face. I didn't want Jacob to have to live with the regret of hurting Renesmee.

Nessie reached up and touched my face showing me the scene with Jacob that we just witnessed. She wanted to know what was wrong with her Jake.

"He is just upset sweetie." I edited the truth a little but it wasn't a lie. "Daddy will help to calm him down."

She seemed satisfied enough by that answer.

When we got to the clearing behind the house I saw Alice in the back yard waiting. She must have seen me planning to come talk to Carlisle.

"Good Morning Nessie." She chimed. "I was getting thirsty and I wondered if you wanted to hunt with me for a little while."

"Yeah!" Renesmee exclaimed. "Can I go mommy?"

"Of course you can darling." I smiled at Alice. "You two have fun ok?"

"Carlisle is in his study." Alice added as her and Nessie ran towards the forest.

I knocked on the study door. "Come in Bella" Carlisle quickly answered.

"Hello Carlisle." I felt bad about talking to him about this. If I knew Carlisle it would hurt him to think that he had hurt Jacob's feelings.

"What is on your mind Bella?" He sat the book he was reading down on his desk. He gestured toward a chair opposite of his desk. I quickly took the seat.

"It was just that at the meeting last night Nessie showed me a concern that she had about moving." I bit my lower lip wanting this to sound as nice as possible. "She was wondering about Jacob."

I saw the concern flash on his face. I quickly started adding more to it to try and comfort him.

"I started thinking about it. I was wondering if it would be a good idea to extend an invite for Jacob to join us." I took a breath though I didn't need to. Just to calm my nerves. "He and Nessie need each other. I would hate to imagine how separation would hurt them. So I was wondering if maybe there was some way that he could come with us?"

I paused to let Carlisle think about what I had said.

"Hmm." He muttered under his breath. "I had not really thought of it that way. I just assumed that he would want to stay with his father. Now I can see that you are right. There is no way we would be able to ask him or Nessie to stay away from each other."

He paced his study for a few seconds before I heard What sounded like Edward and Jacob coming upstairs. There was a quiet knock on the door right before they entered.

"Carlisle." Jacob started a little too harshly.

"Jake. I have already talked to Carlisle." I glared at him for sounding so rude.

"Oh. Sorry doc."

"Maybe I was lacking in my thoughts before the meeting." He sat back down in his chair. "I was so concerned about the new living situations with Nessie and everyone that I didn't even think how this would affect you too Jacob. I do hope that you will accept my apologies for this lapse."

"Its ok." Jacob truly did like Carlisle no matter what he thought about vampires or any of the rest of us. "I understand. I have been worrying about Nessie a lot too."

"If you feel that you need or want to go with us, I would love it if you would join us when we move." Carlisle sounded like he felt better to be able to fix this little mistake.

"Thanks doc." Jacob smiled. "I will have to talk to my dad and my pack about it. I am sure that my dad will be fine. He understands."

"And your pack Jake?" I questioned him. "What about Seth? and the others?"

"I will just tell them that I am leaving and ask them to rejoin Sam." He seemed deep in thought about how to talk to his pack.

"It will all work out if it is meant to work out." Edward smiled down at me when he said this. "Even if it is crazy and impossible."

"Yeah we seem to work better when it is impossible circumstances." I joked and we all laughed as the truth of it registered to us.

"Nessie and Alice are on their way back." Edward stated. "Lets go meet them and give them the news."

We all walked out to the back yard at the same time that they got into the clearing.

"I cant wait to see how happy she will be when she finds out that her Jacob gets to go with us." I whispered to Edward as we stood holding each other while Jake ran to get Nessie. He picked her up and she started to tell him about her hunting trip with her special ability. He smiled and congratulated her then told her what had happened while she was gone.

"You get to go too Jake?" She was ecstatic. She wrapped her little arms around Jakes huge neck. "Now everything is perfect. I get my mommy, my daddy, and my Jacob too!"


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Plans

It surprised me that Charlie was taking this moving thing so easily. I had figured on a long drawn out ordeal that would probably end up in one or both of us getting upset with the other one. Only he had really taken me by surprise.

"I knew that it would happen eventually Bells." He was playing cards with Nessie on the kitchen table. "I mean you are married now. You have your own life to take care of."

"Wow dad." I muttered. "I really didn't expect this to go so smoothly."

"Well Bella what did you want me to do?" He smirked. "I guess I could have tied you up or handcuffed you. Somehow I don't think that would be able to do any good."

Me and Edward both looked at him wondering what he meant by that.

"You always did have a strong spirit. Well, almost always. " He got a very forlorn look on his face and I knew exactly what he was thinking about.

The months that I was with out Edward were the most miserable months of my life. I tried very hard not to dwell on those sad human memories when I had so many good ones now that were much more clear than the ones from my previous life.

"Your right Charlie." Edward cut in. "I have never been able to talk Bella out of anything she wanted. No matter how much I tried to convince her otherwise."

They both had a small laugh at that one.

"I would like you both to realize that my being stubborn has only ended me up with the greatest things in life." I looked pointedly at Edward and Renesmee.

"Yeah you always did have a way of getting everything to work out didn't you?" Me looked to Nessie and then to where Edward and I were sitting. "I am really going to miss you guys though."

I knew that this was extremely hard for Charlie to do. Me and Charlie were one in the same. Neither of us was ever the best at showing how we felt.

"I know dad." I got up and walked over to him and Renesmee. "I will miss you too."

"I will miss you too Grandpa Charlie." Nessie settled her head on his shoulder and laid down her last card. "I win again!"

"You did didn't you angel?" Charlie looked at me and Edward with a puzzling look.

"Yeah Charlie, we know." Edward looked at me then at the clock on the wall. "We better be getting back. Esme will be upset with us if we are late for dinner."

We said our good-byes for today and headed back to the house.

When we got back everyone was waiting in the house for us to return. I noticed the sounds of everyone in the front room when getting Nessie who had fallen asleep out of the back seat.

"Wonder what they are all waiting on?" I asked Edward knowing that he would be the best one to ask since he could just listen to their thoughts and know what was going on.

"They are all singing songs in their heads." He looked confused. "What are they hiding?"

Edward decided to go in before me and tell everyone that whatever they were planning would have to wait until we got Renesmee into bed upstairs.

After Edward came back out and gave me the ok to go in, I took Nessie up to Edwards old room , laid her down and tucked her in.

"You are more than my life my little darling." I whispered in her ear.

When I got to the door Edward was waiting there for me.

"What is it?" I asked him. I was really starting to worry about the look on his face.

"Nothing that you should be scared of my love." Then he looked at me and added. "Unless you hate attention and all things that entails."

He was fighting a smile when we got to the bottom of the stairs.

"Happy Anniversary!" Everyone yelled all at once.

I thought to myself for a split second about the date. Surely enough it was the first day that me and Edward had met three years ago.

"Wow." Was all I could manage. I stole a glance at Esme and she looked at Alice.

"Of course I couldn't let a day like this go unannounced." She beamed at me from across the room barely able to stand still with the excitement.

"Don't look at us little sis!" Emmett threw in there when my glare got to him. "It was all Alice. We all tried to talk her out of it. But Alice is like a force of nature. A tiny annoying unmovable force of nature." He shot a sneer at her.

"Oh come on Bella!" She swept across the room to my side. "You're a Cullen now. You have to get used to being the center of attention. What do you think is going to happen when we get to Denali? You are not going to be able to hid in with the crowd anymore. You are going to stand out just as much if not more than the rest of us."

"She is right you know Bella." Edward said from behind me. "You are so beautiful there is no way I am going to be able to let you out of my sight. I might have to fight to keep the men off of you."

I didn't want to hear this. I wanted them to tell me that I had the best chance to blend in. To be able to be invisible. That is the way I preferred it. To be told that I was going to stick out like a sore thumb didn't exactly motivate me to be happy.

"Enjoy yourself Alice put a lot of work into this for us." Edward was whispering in the softest sweetest voice that I had ever heard him use. "Mainly for you but with me in mind too."

"Alright!" I finally gave in. "What's first?"

After about an hour or two of gifts and what Alice considers party games Edward and I were on our way back to our little cottage.

Edward was carrying the new medicine books that Carlisle and Esme had given him and I was carrying the "new" classics that Alice had gotten me. When we got back to our little patch of heaven we both went to Nessie's room to see the new color on her walls.

"Leave it to Rose to get a new paint job on Nessie's room for our anniversary." I claimed as I took in the bright pink that she had chosen.

"I think that Renesmee will like it sweetie." Edward tried to comfort me.

"Pink?" I thought. "Rose really does hate me."

"No its not that Bella." He took a whiff of my hair. "It is just that she loves Nessie so much and would do anything that she thought would make her happier."

Edwards soothing breath always calmed me down. "Yeah I guess your right."

"Now lets get back to what we came here for." Edward started to pull me towards the bedroom. "I am willing to bet that tomorrow night Nessie will want to sleep in her newly painted room and we will have to be more careful with her in the house."

I acknowledged the truth in his words and just let him pull me to the room where I knew I would be with out a doubt the happiest woman in the world for the next few hours. Though I doubted there was ever a time that I was with Edward that there could be another force of love in the world that would compare to the one that we shared with each other.

"I hear some one coming this way." Edward stated. "Its Rose and Nessie. We better get up and get dressed."

"Don't they know its just barely after dawn?" I murmured as I ran into the closet to get dressed.

"Rose told Nessie about her room right when she woke up." Edward was already dressed by the time I found the stash of blue jeans. "She got so excited she had to come now."

I grinned knowing he was right. Nessie would be so happy that her room was pink. "Guess I should have known."

We both went out to meet them as they got to the house.

"Morning momma, daddy." She waved at us as her and Rose entered the house. "Guess what?"

"What baby?" Edward who I knew already knew her question was amusing her.

"My room is pink!" She exclaimed. "Auntie Rose painted it for me. Isn't that so nice?"

"It certainly is darling." I mused at her. "Lets go get a look shall we?"

After we watched Nessie adore her room we decided it was hunting time.

"Where is Jake mommy?" Nessie yelled down at me from the top of a tree close to our cottage. "I miss him!"

"I bet he is visiting with Billy or maybe running patrols." It never ceased to amaze me how much she loved Jacob. "He will probably be back before too long. I know he loves to play games with you."

Edward had run off towards a more vicious kill while me and Nessie just stayed close waiting for some deer or elk.

"Do you think I am pretty momma?" Renesmee climbed down the tree to stand in front of me.

"You are the most beautiful little girl in all the world." I smiled at her. "You know that. Why are you asking?"

"Do you think Jake thinks I am pretty too?" She flushed at the honesty in her last question.

"I suppose he probably does." I knew that there was so much more to what Jake felt for her than just her being pretty. "Why?"

"I think Jacob is gorgeous." Her beautiful childlike voice sang as she leaned her head back to let the wind blow her hair around.

"Well he is rather handsome." I frowned at the idea of Nessie thinking some one was gorgeous.

She was only a few months old but she was much larger than her age. Several years larger. I would say she was about the size of a five or six year old with the intelligence that not only surpassed high school level but probably getting close to college level too. She seemed to get smarter every day.

I scooped Nessie up in my arms. "Its fine for you to think that Jake is gorgeous ok. " I smiled at her. "Lets not tell him though. Lets keep it a secret. We wouldn't want Jacob to think too much of himself would we?"

She pondered that thought for a moment. Then agreed, "Your right momma. He already thinks he can out run me. Isn't that so silly of him?"

"Absolutely." I loved that she still talked at a younger age though we all knew she could be rather verbose at times. "How could he possibly think that?"

We both laughed as I heard the soft putter of animal feet to our west.

"Ready?" I smiled at her. She smiled back and we both took off in the direction of the deer that we could now smell.

We only had about a month left before we would be moving. I wondered how much she would grow before we left. I couldn't wait until she reached that stage where she would stop growing so rapidly.

When we got to that stage me and my wonderful daughter, along with her father, would look right around the same age. Our story would most likely by then be that she were either mine or Edwards little sister. No one would ever believe that she was our daughter and was only about 7 years old.

I was so thankful that she was so brilliant and that she understood the need to come up with a story of what our life story would be.

We had already decided on a story for when we moved to Denali. It only seemed right that we all stay together as a family. That is the way Esme would want it. Edward, Alice, Emmett, and I would all be siblings adopted by Carlisle and Esme. Rose and Jasper would be the twins again. Jake would be the only one that joined us alone, with no siblings.

Esme had always loved children and was born into a big family herself but was unable to have children. So her and Carlisle , being in good fortunes, adopted us as a family. About the time that they had us for two years miraculously Esme finally got pregnant with a girl. That is how we would work Nessie into the story.

They had named her after Esme's mother Renee and herself coming up with the name Renesmee.

We had only told this story once to Nessie and she caught on automatically. She would be just starting school as a six year old. We told her how she would have to act at school. The rest of us were going to be sophomores and juniors in high school. Me and Jake joining Edward and Alice as the sophomores and the rest of them as juniors. It was the perfect plan.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Denali Meeting

"Thank you all for joining us again." Carlisle had started the family meeting. He smiled down at Esme who was just beaming that we had to add another chair since the last meeting now that Jake was going to be joining us.

"I am so glad that everyone could come." Esme added enthusiastically.

"Yes. Most definitely." He paused to see if there was any comments. Then continued. "Esme and I were thinking about the place we should move this morning and we both decided on a place that we would like to share with you and see what everyone thinks. First, I think that we should see if anyone had any ideas in particular to add before we throw our plan out on the table."

He looked at me and Edward first since we were sitting on his right.

"Actually," I started. "Edward and I were thinking but unable to come up with a place. We just assumed that you would come up with a good idea and we would follow you." Edward nodded at my answer.

"Alright. Jake do you have any ideas you would like to share?"

Jacob looked up at Carlisle.

"Me?" He questioned.

"Sure if you have anything to add." Carlisle nodded at him. "You are a part of this too now."

"Sure, Sure." Jake looked in thought for a few seconds then replied. "I think whatever you say is going to be great doc. I am just glad that I get to go with Nessie." I coughed at him. "Oh right. Bella too." He smiled at me.

Alice and Jasper were up next.

Alice smiled at Carlisle and Esme. "I think your idea is great." She looked at Jasper who nodded in agreement. "I will wait and let you tell everyone. "

"Me and Rose were thinking that we would like some where more secluded." He winked at me and Edward. I shot him a glare that made him look away. He really never got any more mature did he?

"Carlisle. We were wondering." Rose added. "How long are we going to be able to stay before Nessie is too big and we have to move again?"

"Probably about three maybe even four or five years." He paced for a minute thinking out loud. "If she grows at the same pace as Nahuel she will look about five when we move. Much like she does now. In three or four years she will look about ten or eleven." He paused for a minute then started again with everyone listening to his every word. "If we say she is big for her age when we get there. Then when the few years pass we could say she looks young for her age. Of course we still don't have the plans precise just yet. That will all depend on what we decide after we pick the place to go. "

He sat back down in his chair then looked at Rose. "Probably about four years."

"I don't know if I can pull off over 18 for four years." She thought. "I guess we will be in school then?"

"That is what we usually do to ensure that we are more discrete. Yes." Carlisle replied.

"That is what I thought." Rose smiled. I knew Rose liked to stay in one place as long as possible. She didn't like to have to move and then come up with stories over and over. That was the life we now had but she wanted to feel as normal as possible. "I want to go back to school. Stay there as long as possible. Sounds good."

"Momma?" Nessie stirred in my arms. "Is the meeting almost over?"

"Almost darling."

"So here is what we were thinking." Carlisle took a deep breath. "Denali."

At that moment an image of the beautiful Denali clan shot into my head.

"Yes Nessie that is exactly right." I answered her unspoken question. She smiled at me.

"I guess we are in." Edward added. "Has it been long enough to move back with out being recognized?"

"I have already called and talked to Kate this morning." Carlisle responded to Edward. "She says that the people there have been moving so much lately that there is no one still there that was there when we last stayed up there."

"Then most certainly." Edward smiled.

I felt a slight twinge at Edwards excitement. I knew what it was. I also knew that it was ridiculous to think that. Edward had turned down so many women. Why did I keep getting stuck on this one? No. I told myself as I shook the thought from my head.

"I agree." I smiled up at Edward.

"Does anyone care to know why we have decided Denali?" Esme questioned.

"I would." Rose added. Of course Rose wanted to know.

"Look around the table." Carlisle added. We all did. "How many brothers and sisters do you now have?"

"Seven." Edward answered the quickly added. "Plus Renesmee. That's eight."

"Exactly!" Carlisle exclaimed. "We are moving to Denali with the story we discussed before. Simply for the fact that the Denali's who every one knows will be able to help us to concrete our story as reality. I think we would have a hard time trying to prove this rare bunch with out some outside help."

"Momma." Nessie called to me from the front door. "Are you coming?"

"Just a second Nessie darling." I sighed. "Why don't you and Jake head up to the house I will be right behind you."

"Ok." I heard the door close behind her. "Race you!"

As they ran to the house I was still thinking about the conversation that had ended up with our perfect story that we were about to put into motion.

Our little cottage was now empty of our things. Everything was packed and in a moving truck on its way to our new home in Denali. I couldn't help but wish I could take my little home with me. It was the most precious thing I ever had. A home of my own with my amazing husband and gifted daughter. I felt like I should cry. I knew that I would not be able to shed a tear. However, I all the sudden wished that I could. Just this once.

As I walked over to where our bed had been I took in a deep breath. I was trying to soak up every scent in the room. Trying to tie it to every wonderful happy memory that I had of this place. I walked over to the closet. It was now empty too. I couldn't help but smile a little bit.

Alice had been the one to pack up my closet.

"You cant keep that." she had pointed to a pair of jeans that I was about to fold and pack. "I have seen you wear those three times. I just will not have it Isabella Cullen. Give them to me."

I sighed but handed them over. I can dig them back out of those trash bags later if I have to.

Alice was frozen for a moment then she looked at me smilingly. "Get the out of the trash? Oh really Bella?"

Then she proceeded to rip them from hip to heel. Both legs and then just continued until they were shredded laughing all the while.

"Alice you are the worst best sister I have ever had." I smugly added as I finished folding the newest pair of my jeans that I had yet to even wear.

Alice stuck out her tongue and continued going through and trashing the clothes I had worn. Most of them I was glad to see go and I had only worn them so they would cease to be hanging in the closet any more.

"Bella love." Edwards voice pulled me from my daze. "We have to get going."

"I know." I took one last deep breath.

"I will miss this place too." Edward put his arms around my waist. "So many good memories." He too took one last deep breath before pulling me around and kissing me.

"Alright." I caved. "Lets get going."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Leaving

At first I was so nervous. I wanted to run back to Charlie's house and beg him to let me move back in. I knew he would take me and Nessie happily. 

How could I do this to him? Leave him all alone to fend for himself. I was a horrible person. I was selfish for only wanting to be with Edward so much that I left him all alone with no one. 

Jasper could feel my tension and how fast I was getting upset. He walked over to me. Suddenly I felt calmer. 

"Thanks Jasper." I sighed. "I am just really kind of freaking out is all."

Emmett and Alice both laughed at me. 

We were gathered in the front room to decide who was going to take what car. 

Obviously Alice would drive her car. The same stood for Rose, Emmett and Carlisle. Edward had two cars and I had mine too. 

"I can drive Edwards Volvo." Jasper threw out. 

"How about you take Edwards Aston Martin." Esme interrupted. "I can drive his Volvo so he can ride with Bella. She is upset and could use Edward there with her."

She smiled real big at me. 

"I will be fine." I was trying to convince myself. "I could use the time to think. Why don't you go ahead and ride with Carlisle. Jasper can drive which ever of Edward's cars that he doesn't want to drive."

Everyone in the room looked at me confused. 

"Bella?" Edward sounded hurt. "You don't want me to ride with you?"

"Its not that Edward. I just want to be able to think to myself with out having to explain anything." I thought for a minute. "Jake and Nessie can ride with you too. Keep you company."

I smiled reassuringly at him but it didn't seem to work. 

"Really. I will be fine." I stalked out of the room and into the garage. "I am going to go by Charlie's again before we head out. Call me when your about to leave and I will meet you at the highway."

I didn't wait for a reaction or an answer. 

I pulled up to the house and parked my car by the curb. The front door opened right as I closed my car door. 

"Bells?" Charlie asked. "Why are you still here?" 

I could tell by the red tint to his eyes that he had been crying. A weird thought for Charlie since he very rarely showed his emotions. He hadn't planned on showing anyone these tears. 

"Hey dad." I smiled up at him as I walked at my slow human pace up to the front door. "I had to come and say bye."

"Well come on in then. I am sure that they are waiting on you right?" He held the door open for me then followed me in. 

This was what I wanted. To come and see Charlie. I felt the need to tell him how I felt. Now I was unsure exactly how to do it. 

"I had to come by. I have something I wanted to tell you." I took a deep breath to calm myself and realized that I was going to miss the smell of the house so I took another deep breath and categorized the scent for later references when I was missing home. 

"What is it Bells?" Charlie sounded worried.

"I just wanted to tell you how much it means to me that you took me in." I paused. "After all those years of barely seeing you and then when I asked I was sure that you had finally got enough of my changing my mind. I thought for sure that you were going to tell me to move with mom and Phil. You didn't. You just took me with out any questions."

I stole a glance at Charlie and noticed that I had made him cry, again. "That is what I am supposed to do Bella. I'm your father. "

"I know. But still. You did so many great things." I felt my phone vibrating in my pocket and realized that I had to hurry this up. "I love you dad!"

I blurted it out with as much meaning as I could manage at that rushed speed. 

"I love you too Bella." He walked over to me and gave me a huge hug. I took another deep breath wanting to savor every memory I could from this town that had once been my own prison. Now I was regretting having to leave. 

"I have to go now." I patted his back. "Edward has already called me twice."

"Alright Bella." he released me from his hug. 

I headed right out the door and heard him start to cry again. 

Was I sure that I was going to be able to do this?

I picked up my phone this time, "Yes. I am on my way."

"Are you ok?" Edward sounded worried. 

"I am fine. I will be behind you in no time." I all the sudden felt a desperate need for speed. "Don't wait on me." I practically growled into the phone.

I had caught up to Edwards Aston within twenty minutes. I could see his eyes alert in his rear view mirror when I drove up. He asked me again with his eyes this time if I was ok. I had shrugged out a yes and then quit looking at him. 

After about an hour of going over and over what I was doing in my head I heard a soft voice that reminded me all too well why I was going through this. 

"I love you." That was all I needed to hear. His beautiful voice had rang in my head. I relished in the sound of it. How sweet it was. Then I knew that I would be ok with whatever happened in Denali. In anywhere else that we would inevitably end up. We would be fine. As long as we were together. 

I picked my phone up out of the cup holder and dialed Edwards phone. I was still right behind him so I saw his face light up when he saw my number. 

"I love you." He answered. 

"I love you too." I replied.

"Feeling better love?" 

"Much." I sighed with the relief in my words. "How much further do we have?" 

"About an hour. Give or take a few minutes." He seemed to feel much better all of a sudden. I felt bad that I made him sad. "Figure out what was wrong?"

"No." I replied biting my lip. "I just realized that whatever it was is not important enough to make me sad when I have such a wonderful Husband and beautiful daughter."

"I am glad that you feel better Bella." he sighed. "Cant wait to be able to see you again face to face when we get there." 

All of a sudden I saw Carlisle's break lights. We had all pulled into a small gas station off the highway. Apparently Emmett's Jeep used more gas than the rest of our cars. We all filled up our tanks anyways. 

"Bella." Esme got to my door before Edward had even gotten Nessie out of her seat in the back of his car. "I think I am going to drive Edwards Aston the rest of the way with Jake and Nessie. Alice called and said that you wanted to spend some time with Edward on the way up there."

"Oh." I would have to thank Alice for the millionth time when I saw her next. "Um. That would be great. Thanks." 

Edward handed Nessie to Jake who took her and headed into the store. 

"I have to tell you something Mrs. Cullen" Edward smirked at me.

"What might that be?" I smiled back. "Mr. Cullen?"

"I love you more than anything else." He had reached me at this point and bent down to kiss my cheek. "More than the sky, the earth, and sun. More than anything." He kissed my other cheek. Then pulled back to look at my face.

After I regained my brain functions I laughed. "More than anything?" I made a face like I was thinking hard for a minute. Then I pushed my shield away towards Edward so he could see my thoughts. "Not more than I love you." I thought to him. 

Then I ran through images of the first time I ever saw him. The first time I ever spoke to him. The first time I ever smelt him. The first time he touched me. The first time he kissed me. I went on and on while he held my hands and looked into my eyes. 

"Bella." He sighed. "I do believe that you are the best thing that has ever happened to me."

"And you, I" then I remembered what Esme had said to me. "Edward. I think that Esme wants to drive your car."

He looked at me questioningly. "Hmm?"

"She came up to me." I gestured to the car. "When we got here. She said that Alice told her that I wanted to spend time with you. So she is going to take Jake and Nessie in your car and I am going to drive you in my car." I smiled at the thought of Edward letting me drive. 

"You drive?" he smirked at me. " I don't think so snail." 

"I think that it is my car Edward." I turned to walk into the store and pretend like I was looking for something to drink while Emmett took my car to the pump after all the other cars had been filled and put gas in it. "If you want to ride with me you will have to deal with my driving. I know that it is a hard trade. But it is just one that you will have to decide whether or not it is worth it." 

He smiled down at me. My favorite smile in the whole world and I almost lost my fight. 

"Is it worth it Edward?" I managed to choke out. I reeled my shield back in on just me. 

"Mrs. Isabella Marie Cullen I do believe that you and that little smile of yours is going to be the death of me." He took a deep breath. 

I reacted the same way by taking the same deep breath. I got about half way through the intake of my breath when I caught the most amazing smell I have ever smelt. I turned to look to see where it came from. 

There it was. That most luring scent came from the little teenage cashier behind the counter. I looked past Edward to see him more clearly. I quickly checked the store to see if there was any more humans in sight. Instincts. I would not have known to check. 

I noticed one little tragedy over by the power bars and the breads. I thought to myself about how best to get to the boy before the girl got to the counter with her selections. 

Edward noticed my hesitation, "Bella what is the matter?"

My first thought was that he was going to try to take the man from me. He was going to steal my prey. That could not happen. I crouched down and bared my teeth at Edward. 


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Escaping

At that moment three things happened.

The boy behind the counter saw me and gasped at my stance.

Edward realized what was happening and tried to jump on me.

I would have been able to push his attack away and then launch myself at the boy behind the counter if at that same instant Carlisle and Emmett had not come up behind me and restrained my arms. Emmett and Edward towed me out of the store while I heard Carlisle try and explain to the boy that I was ill and that they were transporting me up north to a facility.

Edward and Emmett both shoved me in the back seat of my car then while They were holding me to the seat despite my desperate attempt to get out to that amazing scent. I yearned to feel my teeth sink into his neck and taste the amazing flow of his blood.

I wanted it so badly. I was fighting as much as I could as the car started flying down the highway. I bit both the arms holding me in place. Both arms now had marks on them but did not budge in the slightest. My brain started thinking of ways to trick them and get back to my tasty treat that was calling my name.

Calm yourself. You have to do it if you want them to trust you. It took me several deep breaths then I managed to stop thrashing around.

I turned and looked at the faces of the arms restraining me. "Emmett? Edward?"

It seemed to be working. They both seemed to look like they were more relaxed.

"What? Why?" I shook my head. "What happened?"

"I was hoping you would tell me Bella, Love." Edward was trying hard not to strain his voice.

"I don't know." I mimicked the innocence I knew I would have used. "I remember talking to you and then…" For more effect I shook my head again.

I put on the most pleading face I could manage. "I'm so sorry." I looked up into his eyes.

They both released me and put their arms back down.

I went to use my legs to shoot myself out the back window so I could run back to the little store. At the exact moment I decided that's what I was going to do I heard Alice scream.

"Don't let go of her!"

Before I could even try to get my feet to push on the floorboard both of their arms were wrapped back around me. Edwards had reached me first. He had seen the act in Alice's head just as she had.

"Damn Bella." Alice spit at me. Then she crooked her head to the side and a wry little smile came across her face. "That was a hot little move you just tried to pull."

"I try." I mused at her.

"Do you mean she just calmed herself down that much just with the intent of jumping through the back window?" Emmett choked.

"That was the plan monkey man." I remembered Rose call him that at least once before. "Too bad you are too soft big brother."

"Bella!" Edward exclaimed. "What is the matter with you?"

"I need his blood Edward!" I screeched at him. "I need it."

"You are so much better than this Bella." He looked deep into my eyes. "You are so much more than this monster!" I could tell that saying that last word referring to me really hurt him inside.

I don't know how but I softened to him. I still needed and would take any opportunity to get back to where that blood that sang to me was waiting.

"I cant help it." suddenly I felt so badly for not being able to control myself. "Edward."

I threw both of my arms towards him no longer even thinking about the man whose blood had nearly been the end of me. Of course my arms were restrained so all that happened was I twitched toward him.

I looked up into his eyes pleading.

"Not again Bella. I am not going to fall for it." He looked away from my face.

"Edward?" Oh no. It had finally happened. He didn't want me. I had hurt him so much that he no longer loved me. "Edward! Look at me!"

His head flinched like he was going to then decided against it. "I cant look into your eyes Bella. I cant do it. Not when your acting like this. Your not my Bella when your like this."

My Bella. He had said My Bella. "Oh Edward." I felt like I could cry. "I never want to be that person again. I only want to be your Bella. I only want to be the one that you love."

"Edward." Alice's soft voice came from the front seat. If I had not been able to smell her and Emmett I would have thought I was alone with Edward in the car.

"What Alice?" his tone was harsh towards her.

"She is fine. She just wants you to look at her so she can hug you." She looked back at him and nodded. "Promise."

They both released my arms and I threw them around Edwards neck. "Oh Edward."

I started sobbing dryly into Edwards shoulder.

"Bella. I am so sorry." He kissed my hair. "I didn't want to call you that. I never think you're a monster. I didn't know what to do. I needed you to realize what you were doing. I never wanted to hurt you."

Alice pulled the car over to the shoulder then she motioned for Emmett to get out of the car with her.

"They are going to go back and get the rest of the cars." Edward reassured me when I looked up at him. "Do you want to just sit here a minute love?"

I nodded on his neck. "I am so sorry Edward."

I tried to go back over what had happened in my head. Going carefully as to avoid the smell this time. Then I remembered trying to get free while Alice drove.

"Oh Edward." I pulled at his arms. "I bit you didn't I?"

"Its ok love." He pulled his arms back down. "If that is all it takes to keep you from doing something that you will regret. I will take a bite a day."

I know that he really felt that way but that didn't keep me from worrying.

"Emmett?" I felt bad for biting him too. Even if it was nothing compared to how bad I felt for having bitten Edward. I was just so glad that it wasn't Alice I had bitten. That would have been the worst thing.

"Nessie?" I realized that we left her at the gas station. "What?"

"Shh." Edward tried to calm me. "She is with Esme and Rose. She is fine. Maybe she is worse there than she would have been here. I bet she could have calmed you down faster than me calming you…"

He trailed of feeling bad for having said that.

"Its ok." I soothed him. "You had to do it. Otherwise there is not telling what would have happened. I could have." I stopped that thought in its tracks.

"Bella." He took a long breath. "I have to ask you something."

"What?" His tone had me worried.

"Can I drive your car?" He laughed at me trying to lighten the mood.

"Absolutely not Mr. Cullen." I smiled up at him. "This is my car."

For a moment he looked like he might argue with me. Then he looked out the window and said, "We better get going. Alice went in the wrong direction. We have to catch back up to them."

I smiled at the thought of driving fast. "That is why you can not drive my car."

I climbed into the drivers seat as he maneuvered his way into the passenger seat.

"Keep going straight." He said as I started to turn the car around. "We can catch the from another route. I don't want to go back by that gas station again."

I agreed. There was no reason to take any more chances. Edward knew how to get there.

The rest of the trip to Denali was spent with Edward grilling me on the French that we had been working on before we moved. I must admit that I was getting pretty good. There was always one thing that upset me. When Edward was trying to help me pronounce something and he used is most perfect articulate voice to show me. I could not keep my mind where it was supposed to be. I would often forget what he was even trying to get me to say.

Not too long, or as it seemed, after we started driving behind our family caravan again did it seem that we were finally at our destination.

"Denali." Edward stated as a row of buildings came into view. He turned to look at my awed face. "Welcome home Mrs. Cullen." I smiled at the beautiful view and thought to myself. "This might not be too bad."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

New House

"Its so beautiful." I muttered as I stared at our new house.

"I tried to get a little something for everyone." Esme mused. "Its big, I new Rose would love that. Its got a very Victorian feel to it. I figured you and Edward would enjoy the style. Alice also likes the Victorian decorations because they are so 'in' now." She laughed to herself.

Esme and Carlisle had been the ones to choose the house. They had come up here searching for the perfect house a few weeks back on one of their hunting trips.

"There is a lot of diversity in the food availability around this area." Carlisle added. "I see the movers have just barely beaten us. I had thought that we would get here first so that we could square off bedrooms first."

Then I realized that my little mishap at the gas station was probably to blame for our being late.

I looked down at my feet still feeling the shame running through me.

"Its fine love." Edward whispered in my ear. "No one thinks badly of you." He pointed to his head to emphasize his point. "Jasper is so thrilled that you actually showed some new born personality."

"Please don't feel badly Bella." Jasper approached me. "You are really being a buzz kill on our new house."

"Sorry Jazz." I took a moment to regain myself. "Lets go get a room." I added to Edward.

Jake was carrying Nessie who had fallen asleep on the ride up.

"Hold on everyone." Esme added. "I have to tell you something first before you run off to claim your rooms."

Everyone turned to pay attention to Esme. We could all hear her fine where we were but with the movers being all around we had appearances to keep up.

"In order for everyone to have their own rooms we would need one for myself and Carlisle, one for Alice and Jasper, One for Rose and Emmett, One for Edward and Bella, One for Jake and another for Nessie. That is six rooms. Well this house has 5 rooms."

She walked over by me and Edward and spoke quiet enough that the movers could not even attempt to understand her. "Nessie's bed can be set up in your room. Being as we don't really use any of our beds if you two ever need to have the room to yourselves, she will be allowed to share any other room in the house for that night." She looked around to see if anyone would object. "Oh, except you Jacob of course. You will be needing your bed."

"If it is necessary to do so later we could always make an addition to the house." Carlisle added. "I am sure that soon Nessie is going to want to have her own room and privacy. She will probably want it before too long now." Carlisle smirked.

"That can be a new project for me and Alice." Esme sounded excited to already have something to do.

Alice walked over to her and they both walked into the house pointing around and talking about how they were going to do it.

"Well let us go get a room." Edward pulled me into his arms. "We will need a rather big one for now with having to put Nessie in there with us too."

"No way bro." Emmett threw at Edward as he smiled to me. "That is just not fair."

"Now Emmett." Carlisle approached him soothingly. "Let us not get into a fight on the first day."

Edward and I started to walk up the stairs to get our own room.

"I want the room closest to Nessie's" Jake threw up at us. He started following us up the stairs.

"Actually Jake." Carlisle turned his attention from Emmett to Jacob. "Considering you have your sleep. We decided that the furthest room from everyone would be best. Conservative purposes, you understand."

He put his arm around Jake's shoulders and headed off back down the stairs.

"He is not going to like that." Edward laughed.

The first floor had only two rooms along with what Carlisle would probably use as an office because the walls were lined with bookshelves. There was also a full bathroom on this floor. We admired all the rooms on this floor but decided to go to the third floor to see what was up there. The first door we opened lead into a very elegant room with a chandelier and a full length mirror on one wall.

"Rosalie" We both said in unison laughing as we closed the door. "Em you might want to check this room up here out. Edward added quietly enough that none of the movers heard but he was sure Emmett had been able to hear.

It was in the second room on the third floor that we found the most beautiful room in the house. I fell in love with it the moment that I walked in the door.

The walls were a light golden color with a maroon trim. The floors all through the house were a deep mahogany. The light coming through the huge windows that covered the entire back wall was beautiful coming in over the trees behind the house.

I immediately loved the smell coming in from one of the windows that had been opened. I inhaled deeply to fully admire the fresh air.

"That is the most beautiful smell ever." I admitted.

"Intoxicating isn't it?" Edward pulled me in for a kiss. I was beginning to lose myself in his lips when we heard Jasper from down the hall.

"We just got here. Maybe you can give me like an hour to admire the house with my own feelings before you go throwing that stuff around?" Jasper laughed. "Maybe I want the furthest room."

Edward and I both started laughing.

"Lets go check on Nessie." I told him. "I want to see her reaction to the house."

Nessie had loved the house. I knew she would. She even liked the room that we picked out. But it didn't take her long to want to go see everyone else's room too.

"I think I need to hunt Edward." I tried to make it sound casual.

"We ate this morning." Edward looked at me suspecting what I really meant. "I told you darling, no one thinks anything about it. You did exactly what every other vampire in the world would have done."

"Not every vampire." I was so tired of holding the shame back that I just let it take control of me.

"Bella, I have been practicing at my control for a century." He tried to comfort me. "I still had a very hard time when you walked into that room. You have no idea how close I came to killing the one person in this world who makes me feel like I have a purpose."

I didn't feel that I was getting through to Edward. The only way I knew for him to fully understand how much it was hurting me was to show him. I fought against my natural defense and pushed my shield towards Edward. When I saw his eyes light with the realization of what I was doing I closed my eyes and let my emotions show right through. I thought about the fact that the poor kid probably has a family and a home. Things that I wanted to take away from him. Who was I to want to hurt that innocent person? Could I ever be trusted again? Was my amazing control finally wearing off? My shield fell back onto me when I started to cry tearless sobs.

"Bella, Love." Edward swooped me up in his arms. "Don't cry."

I needed to cry. I needed to let the full force of my emotions run out so that I could feel them and hopefully be able to move past them. Though I knew that I would not easily be able to forget this as my vampire memory was crystal clear.

"Poor Jasper." I moaned thinking of what my crash was doing to him.

"No Bella he isn't even here anymore. Alice saw this coming and took Jasper, Jake, and Nessie to the store to buy food to stock the kitchen. With Jake here we are going to actually have to have food in the house. Not just when we are going to be having company. Plus everyone is hoping that we can get Nessie to eat some human food too. Make it easier for her when she gets to high school like the rest of us."

I could tell that he was rambling to get me distracted from my grief. It was working.

"She hates human food." I blurted out.

Edward started laughing. "Yes she truly does."

"Thanks Edward." I released the final bit of pain from me.

"Always love." He kissed the top of my head. "I will always be here for you. You are my life now."

I have heard him say that so many times before, but it still hit me the same way every time.

"As you are mine." I returned.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Denali Clan

"They are coming over!" We heard Alice screeching from the floor below us. "The Denali's will be here in twenty-three minutes."

We had been unpacking our rooms all day. The movers had left several hours ago after unloading all of our belongings into the correct rooms. It was not their job to unpack the boxes. Just to get the boxes in the right place.

The entire house was all but finished. Edward and I had done our room in about an hours time. Being able to move at incredible speeds was especially helpful in these situations.

This must be how they managed to get their house all back together so fast when they returned from Edwards little escape from me. One day there had been an empty house and the next it seemed that their house was right back to normal. Like they had never really left.

I liked the Denali's. I really did. How could I not when they helped us so those few months ago. The only bad feeling I harbored was for Tanya. I never could understand it. Why Edward had chosen me over her. She was amazingly beautiful, tall, and brilliant. She had her eye on Edward years back. She still did if you asked me. I had seen the way she looks at him. Though she never made an advance I always felt that she was saying inappropriate things secretly to Edward in her thoughts. Every now and then I would catch Edward throw her a glare. She would look away like she didn't know what he meant. Edward would never tell me if she was thinking anything. He knew it would bother me to know that she still wanted him and he still wanted only me.

"That has been over for a very long time now Bella, love" Edward always assured me when I mentioned it. "There is nothing between me and Tanya. There never really has been. It was one sided."

I remembered that conversation well. Though I didn't really feel like dwelling on it now.

"We should go down to meet them when they get here." Edward commented hanging a picture on the wall. "Esme will think badly of us if we do not show good courtesy."

"Your right." I answered. "We should go and make sure that Jake and Nessie are not getting into too much trouble."

"Nessie is trying to help Jake set up his room." He laughed at something that I did not see. "She thinks that his room is too boyish and wants him to decorate it better. Jacob is trying to convince her that since it is his room that it should look however he wants."

"Oh yeah?" I realized what Edward had seen that I missed. Jake trying to tell Nessie no with out hurting her feelings. "How is that going?"

"They are rearranging." Edward burst out into a fit at the sight he could see in their minds. "He is going to have his hands full with her."

I walked over to where Edward had been sitting on the floor laughing and sat down in his lap.

"I seem to remember a few people who thought that about me and you." I kissed his jaw line.

He wrapped his arms around me tightly and whispered in my ear. "They were right."

"Oh really, is that right Mr. Cullen?" I jumped up and put my hands on my hips to make a point.

He jumped lightly up and looked me in the face. "As a matter of fact. Mrs. Cullen. That is right."

I lunged at Edward but missed as he darted around me and was leaning up against the wall by the door when I turned to follow him.

"That all you got?"

"Not even close." A low growl erupted from my throat. I lunged again. This time he ran through the door and down the stairs. I chased after him taking the stairs four at a time. I would have just jumped from the top floor but I knew how Esme would react.

Edward reached the first floor just before I did and as I threw myself from the stairs he was opening the door and heading outside. I managed to get him right as he was running out the door. We both went tumbling to the ground laughing the whole way only to look up as we heard giggling and noticed the Denali's had arrived and were staring down on our little scene.

Edward didn't seem to care. He grappled my waist and started kissing me all over my shoulder.

"Bella, Edward." Kate greeted us still smiling at our display.

I would usually have been against attention like this. But it couldn't hurt to make sure that Tanya saw us happy and knew that there was, I hoped, nothing that she could do to hurt us.

"Edward! Bella!" Esme's tone brought us right back to reality. "What do you think that you two are doing?"

"Sorry Esme." Edward started to apologize as he got up off the ground. "Bella started it."

I looked up at the hand he was reaching down to help me up. How dare he betray me that way? Ignoring his hand I gracefully hopped up on my feet and childishly stuck my tongue out at him.

I turned to greet our guests. "It is so good that you guys came to see us." I walked with them and Esme into the house leaving Edward to stare after me entering the house.

It was a nice visit I decided after they had left. We had sat and chatted about the beautifully uneventful past months. At some point Nessie had fallen asleep on Kate who took her up to our room to lay her down. Jake however, had ventured later into the night with us but eventually had to retreat into his own room to rest for the night. None of us needing sleep decided to stay up till almost dawn.

We talked about our story and made sure that all the kinks were ironed out well. We were saying that Tanya and Esme were old college buddies who had kept in touch through the years. That way Tanya can say that she was talking with Esme through all the hard decisions about adopting and then when she finally got pregnant ,in our story, with Nessie. After years we decided to move up here so that they could finally be closer together.

Oddly through the course of the evening Tanya and I had a lot of time to talk. It was weird but when she went to leave I actually felt like I was going to miss her. It was a strong emotion for such a short time together. I couldn't tell if she felt the same way or maybe I was attaching myself to her because she seemed such a happy person all the time. Just like Alice and Esme and even Reneé.

A sudden twinge of pain shot through me at that last name. I cant believe that I have not talked to her in what seemed like forever. I knew it had not even been a year yet but I felt horrible about not talking to her. She didn't even know that she had a granddaughter. She could never know about Nessie. It would be impossible to explain to her that this child that looked a good five years old was mine and I had her just months ago.

"Impossible." I muttered to myself. Not realizing that the words I thought I had also voiced. Everyone turned to look at me as though I had screamed it.

"Bella?" Tanya and Edward both replied at the same time. Edward continued, "Are you are right?"

"Oh Yeah." I would have blushed by the attention when I was capable of it. "Sorry just thinking about something. I didn't realize that I was talking out loud."

"You were more like worrying about something." Jasper interjected.

I shot him a glare that made him stop talking before he said anything else.

"Worrying?" Edward questioned. "Worrying about what, Love?"

"Nothing too important. Sorry." I looked down at my feet. "I was just letting my mind wander and started to think about Reneé is all."

"Bella." Tanya had her arms around me before Edward could even think to move towards me. "Don't cry."

I hadn't realized until she told me not to that I had burst out into the dry sobs that was the only type of crying vampires knew. I didn't know what to say so I just let myself lose it into Tanya's shoulder. She was so much taller than me. She had a great scent too. Like Roses and lilac. So pretty. Lilac had been Reneé's favorite scent. I lost it even further than I had previously. I allowed my knees to buckle underneath me to allow myself to fall to the floor. Only I hadn't take Tanya into account. The second that my knees gave way she swept me up into her arms.

EPOV

"All the way to the top?" Tanya asked as she headed up the stairs to take Bella to our room.

"Yes." I answered. Then I turned to Jasper and added. "Isn't that what I am supposed to do?"

"For whatever reason I think they have bonded very strongly over the past few hours." Jasper offered trying to sooth my concern. "I have never felt some one desire some one else's company like that so quickly before. Both Bella and Tanya were quite upset when they had decided it was time to leave."

"Wait." Emmett almost screamed. "You mean to say that Edwards wife and the woman who has wanted Edward for years are becoming friends?" Emmett rolled onto the floor laughing.

I had wondered why Tanya had been covering up her thoughts all night. She didn't want me to know her and Bella were hitting it off. I stretched out to hear Tanya's thoughts but I found nothing.

"What?" I questioned. I started to climb the stairs to make sure that they were still up there when I heard Bella call down to me.

"Don't worry Edward. But I just would like to talk to Tanya alone." Of course she could tell that I was putting force on her shield.

I started to feel anger towards Tanya for being the one to comfort my Bella. That should be me. I should be up there helping her through whatever it was that was bothering her. I was thinking about a reason to go up there and barge in when Emmett emerged from the ground where he had been laughing.

"Ok so let me get this." He was trying so hard to keep from laughing while he said this. "Your wife is upstairs talking with your wanna-be lover girl. AND she is shielding their thoughts from you?"

Emmett rolled into another set of loud laughter that I was sure would wake Nessie and Jake. "Alright Emmett. You, Me outside… Now!" I walked towards the door.

"Bring it little brother." he hoped up from the floor and followed me automatically.

"Better make sure that they don't kill each other." Jasper added as he followed us out.

BPOV

"I completely understand." Tanya soothed my hair as I laid my head on her lap. "When that awful thing with the immortal children took my mother from me I almost died. Your mom is alive and well but you cant go see her or risk her life. It has to be excruciating."

I thought of something to say. Something that we had not covered. "Hmm." I thought out loud. "I don't know how but I feel much better. Weird." I sat up from Tanya's lap and smiled at her. "Thank you so much. I don't know what you did or how you did it. But it worked."

"Boys!" I heard Rosalie Scream from downstairs. In her bed across the room Nessie stirred just a bit, I decided to go downstairs and check it out.

We got downstairs to find that Emmett and Edward were fighting in the front yard.

"What is going on?" I questioned Rosalie.

"Oh there you are." She replied. "They are fighting cause Emmett was teasing Edward about you two being upstairs and keeping things from him. The wife and the, what was it Emmett said?" She smirked "Oh yeah. The wanna-be lover." Rose nearly cracked up at the thought herself.

"They what?" I was taken aback. "Edward was upset?"

"Yes. He said that Tanya was taking his job. That he was supposed to be the one comforting you. Then you blocked your and Tanya's thoughts." She giggled again. "It was almost priceless to see. I wish I had gotten a picture."

"I will take care of this." Surely this newborn strength would come in handy sometime. I took a step towards the door when a hand on my shoulder caught both mine and Rosalie's attention.

"Wait!" Tanya managed to choke out.

We both looked at her. "What is the matter?" I looked at her longing to know why she had stopped me. It wasn't like either of them would ever hurt me.

She shook her head like trying to get her brain back on track. "Sorry. I just don't want you to get hurt."

The noise outside had ceased leading me to believe that even the boys had been startled by Tanya stopping me.

I could hear Jasper whispering to Edward but I wasn't going to strain to try and hear what they were saying. I was too busy trying to understand why Tanya had felt so strongly about playing around with my husband and his brother.

"They wouldn't have hurt me Tanya." I tried to relax her a little. "Why did you think that they would hurt me?"

"I don't know." She paused thinking for a moment. Then she gasped. At that same moment I heard Edward gasp in response to her gasp. Then I realized when she startled me that I had let my shield fall back. I sprang it right back up as a understood that Edward had read Tanya's thoughts. All of a sudden I was furious with Edward. How dare he do that to Tanya? My whole vision tainted red.

I turned to face Edward still holding my Shield up. I spread it out further and further as I walked away from Tanya. I didn't want him to have another chance of doing it again.

"What do you think you are doing?" I growled at him. I saw his eyes widen and then I heard Jasper share in the gasps that seemed to be everywhere tonight.

"She is so mad." Jasper sounded almost shocked.

"Of course I am" I shot at Jasper. But I couldn't waste any anger on him I was too mad at Edward. I turned back to face him still standing frozen to the spot. "How dare you steal her thoughts from her like that?"

"Steal her thoughts?" Edward was having trouble making his voice stay steady. He was failing miserably. "Bella what is the matter with you?"

At that moment Tanya let a loud growl erupt form her. In just a second she was by my side starting at Edward.

"Nothing is wrong with Bella. Bella is just fine." Tanya spat at Edward. I all the sudden felt the need to protect Edward from Tanya.

I turned to face her. I was going to yell at her. Scream and tell her to leave Edward alone.

"Tanya." I snarled. She turned to look at me. The moment our eyes met I could no longer feel mad at her. The only thing I felt the need to do was to give her a hug. It seemed that she had the same reaction because she was leaning her arms towards me at the same instance that I reached for her. We hugged each other and was suddenly filled with so much joy that we both started giggling.

We laughed so hard that we both fell too our knees roaring with laughter that neither of us could even attempt to control. I looked up to see Edwards face twisted in such a confused state that I burst out into an even bigger fit. Tanya looking to see what I seen started laughing just as hard as me at the look Edward was harboring.

EPOV

Did my wife just attack me? Because I could read minds? What was going on with the world tonight?

As both of the women rolled around on the grass in the front yard I looked at Jasper who was the only one who had stayed in the yard with me after Bella had started to come towards me with that murderous glare.

Jasper's eyes were as wide as his whole face and he just shook his head. _I have no idea. But the emotions emanating off those two was stronger than any emotion I have ever felt besides the love between two mates. So strange. _ As Jasper's thoughts continued on into the details of it I looked back down at Bella. Although it seemed the wrong thing to do. Every time I looked at them while they were laughing it just made it worse.

_Edward! _I turned to face Alice. _What on earth is going on?_

I shook my head to say that I didn't know.

_I think they have lost it. _Kate's thoughts had entered my head. I had almost forgotten that they were still here. Finally a voice I had been waiting for entered my thoughts.

_Edward? What is going on here? _Carlisle directed his thoughts toward me.

"I don't know. First Tanya took Bella upstairs to calm her down. Bella blocked their thoughts from me. Then when the came back Emmett and I were here in the yard playing around. Bella was going to come and stop us but Tanya wouldn't let her. Then I read in Tanya's thoughts that she was afraid that one of us would hurt or really even think of hurting Bella. Bella realized that I had heard Tanya's thoughts and put her shield back up and attacked me. I asked what was wrong with her and then Tanya attacked me. It looked like Bella was going to defend me against Tanya but when they met eyes they both reached out to hug each other then started this" I pointed to the ground where they were both still laughing so hard I doubted that they even heard me.

"Fraternité" I heard Carlisle whisper. He seemed flabbergasted.

"What is that?" I questioned but all Carlisle could seem to do was repeat the word over and over under his breath. "Fraternité."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Fraternité

EPOV

It took us nearly twenty minutes to get the girls to calm down enough to get them into the house. The whole time Carlisle's thoughts were still stuck on that word.

We managed to get them to sit in some chairs at the dining table. When they finally managed to stop laughing they just starting chatting to themselves.

I followed Carlisle out into the kitchen where I was hoping to get some answers.

"Sisterhood?" I questioned.

"Loosely translated." His brows furrowed together in deep thought. "That Bella is one of a kind I will give her that."

"What does that mean?" I was getting frustrated by the lack of answers. "What is going on?"

"I have only heard of this twice in all my years." He breathed deeply. "It is so very rare. So strong. I don't know what to do."

"What to do about what?" I was beyond getting frustrated. "Carlisle. Will you please give me some straight answers?"

"I am sorry Edward." He sat on a barstool by the counter. "Pull up a seat. Lets see the best way to explain this. The connection between mates is extremely strong. Well then Fraternité is just one stop down from the connection between mates."

"Bella came after me to protect Tanya's thoughts." I was slowly starting to panic. Did we not have the connection of mates that I felt towards her. After all this time did I truly love her that much more than she loved me? "Does that mean..?"

"No, Edward let me finish. In the beginning when the connection is initially made it is much stronger. After a few days sometimes a few weeks it slowly fades away. It will go back to her loving you more. After the first wave of the connection has weaned."

I sighed in relief.

"Edward." He used a hard tone. "I must warn you, they will be extremely close. As though they were twins who spent every day together. It may not be this bad all the time. Most of the time they will want to spend at least a little time together each day. It will be very difficult for them to be apart for more than about two days at a time for the first few months. It slowly fades to where they don't have to be together every single day. They will eventually even be able to just talk on the phone every day or every other day."

"Every Day?" I practically screamed at him. "But… How…?"

"I have not gotten to the best and sometimes worst part yet." He patted my shoulder in an attempt to calm me. "They will be very connected. Like I said at first. It is more than that. It is like they can feel when something happens to the other one. When they are extremely happy or sad. They share each others emotional burdens. When one of them is sad they can share the pain and it wont be as bad on one of them because they are sharing the pain that would be just for one person. When they are happy it is shared happiness. Of course happiness is an easier burden to bear."

"When one of them gets upset the other one will know. It doesn't matter how far apart they are." He continued. "We tried an experiment once. With two such women. We kept one there in Italy and brought the other one to Texas. Even in that distance when we told one of them something that made them really sad the other one could tell. They itched to be back together so that they could comfort each other."

"How do I deal with this?" I was so shocked that I didn't know what to think.

"You have to accept it." Carlisle knew how hard this would be for me. He showed extreme comfort through his eyes. "Bella is going to want to see Tanya a lot. For the first little bit they are going to want to be together everyday. Here is a hint for you. I learned this with our little project too. If you strengthen your relationship more then it will weaken theirs. I am sure that you would never want to take Tanya from Bella when it is obvious that she wants her here. But the more your relationship grows the weaker it will make theirs. I doubt that it will ever deplete. But If you work hard to remind Bella that you love each other you may be able to lessen the yearning on Bella's side of the relationship."

"On Bella's side?"

"Well you cant affect Tanya's side of it very much can you?"

I nodded in agreement. I sat thinking for a few minutes. "Carlisle?"

"Yes Edward?" He had re-entered the room.

"Do you think that maybe you and Esme can take Nessie for the night so I can spend some time with Bella?" I asked shamed of my intentions.

"She is already in bed with Esme. I figured when I told you that a minute ago that you would want to spend time alone with her."

"Thanks father."

"Now come and help Bella say goodbye. It will be easier on her if you are there to help her."

"Of Course."

After the long sad goodbye between Bella and Tanya I managed to get her back up to the room.

"I wonder if Tanya will come to visit tomorrow?" Bella questioned brushing out her hair. "I cant wait to see her again."

"I am quite sure that she will come see you, love" Tanya? Did it have to be Tanya? Why could it not have been Alice or Kate or even Rose? Why did it have to be Tanya. The one woman who never seemed to stop wanting me was now sharing feelings with the woman I loved more than life. Carlisle was right. Bella was sure one of a kind.

"Bella?" I started calmly, "Can you come here for a minute?"

"Of course Edward," She got up and walked over to where I was sitting on the edge of our bed. She sat down and looked at me questioningly, "What is it?"

I put her face in my hands and leant in to give her a smooth kiss. Or at least that is what it was supposed to be. When was she ever going to stop surprising me?

"Oh Edward I love you so much" She breathed heavily.

"Bella. Love." I tried to pull back not really wanting to but feeling that I should.

"Mmm?" was all she answered. I lost. Right there in that simple little hum I lost all of the control I had mustered up.

"Since this is our new house. I think we should celebrate?" I was still waiting to make sure she wasn't going to have an outburst.

She didn't even bother to answer. She flew herself at me with a force I could only hope meant that she wasn't thinking about Tanya.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Uncomfortable

BPOV

"Tanya's coming over." I blurted out in between kisses.

"What?" Edward was taken by surprise. "How do you know that?"

I thought about it for a minute. I could not remember how I knew she was coming over. I just remember kissing and then I just knew.

"I don't know." I thought some more about it. "But I know that she is. I have to get dressed."

"Bella?" Edward called after me as I entered into the closet. "She only left three hours ago. Are you sure she is coming over?"

That is when I heard Alice in the hall outside our door. "Tanya is coming over."

"We know." Edward called after Alice getting dressed and heading for the door.

"You know?" just from the sound of her voice I could tell she was curious to say the least. "Did she call Bella?"

"Nope." Edward answered opening the door and exiting. "She just knew."

Alice came bounding into the room. "Bella, how did you know Tanya was coming?"

"I don't know. I just felt it. That doesn't make sense." I furrowed by brows in thought. There really had to be a way that I knew but, I couldn't think of one. "I have no idea Alice."

"You knew before I saw it?" She sounded hurt. "It could have been a lucky guess. Hey could you help me zip this up?"

"Is that the new dress I got you?" Alice smirked at me. "I would have never thought to pair it with those leggings. But it looks amazing. Did you pick that out on your own?"

Now that I think about it I didn't know why I had picked this dress. I saw it and the leggings and thought it was so adorable. Did I really just think that?

"I guess I did." Oh well. It did look adorable. If not a little hint of sexy to it. I twirled in front of the mirror. "I need shoes. Hmm. Alice? Can you help me pick out shoes for this outfit?"

Alice's mouth fell open in astonishment. "Sure."

After I was dressed we headed down to meet Tanya. I felt such a twinge to run out to the road and meet her there instead of having to wait here at the house. When I reached the bottom step I heard Emmett from the other room whistle at me. I knew what I would usually do. I would glare him down and make him wish he hadn't done that. But that isn't what I felt like doing.

I walked into the oversized doorway into the living area where he, Edward, Rose and Nessie were sitting. I coughed to get their attention and then to my utter shock and surprise I did a twirl holding the hem of one side of my dress so that it whirled around when I spun. I stopped to see all of them staring at me like I had gone crazy.

"Does it look bad?" I looked down at myself. "Is it the shoes? Cause Alice picked those out. If they don't match its her fault." Did I just say that Alice picked out something that didn't match? Was I insane? Had I truly lost it?

Right then I heard tires on the main road turn off onto our driveway. "Tanya!" Before I knew what I was doing I was outside on the porch bouncing on my heels waiting for her car to come to a stop. When she emerged she shot me a look when she saw my dress. I gave her the same questioning glance when I saw her, the beautiful Tanya, wearing a t-shirt and blue jeans with a pair of tennis shoes.

"What are you wearing?" We both said in unison.

After we had a small laugh about our clothes we both headed into the house to greet everyone. We walked in to the entire family , now that everyone was in the living room, giving us the most awkward stares.

"What?" I said.

"You do realize that it looks that you two dressed each other right?" Emmett added.

"What does that mean?" Tanya looked suspiciously at him.

"Bella, you are wearing something that Tanya would wear. Tanya is wearing something that Bella would wear." He paused. "Am I the only one who sees this?"

There was a numerous amount of resounding no's in response to his question. Then Carlisle approached Tanya and I and both of us flinched an inch closer together just incase there was some attack incoming from Carlisle that we didn't sense.

"Amazing" I heard him whisper under his breath as he got close enough to be politely addressing us with out getting so close as to pose a threat. "I think we should talk ladies."

The rest of the after noon was mostly spent talking to Carlisle about this Fraternité thing. At first we argued with him. But when he started to point out that we had not really gotten along before and asked us to recall the previous months until the time when we moved here. We started to realize that he was right. Every explanation that he gave was totally accurate to how we felt. It was amazing.

After our talk with Carlisle Tanya and I decided to take Nessie hunting.

"May I join you ladies?" Edward asked. The sound of his voice always made my heart flutter.

"Of course you can Edward." I reached up and kissed him on the cheek.

I felt a slight flinch from Tanya.

"What is it?" I questioned her.

"That was weird." she shook her head. "When you kissed Edward I suddenly wanted to kiss him too."

The thought registered in my head and a low Growl rumbled in my stomach.

"You wanted to what?" Edward voiced the question in my head that I was unable to produce.

"Oh don't worry. I would rather die than hurt Bella that way. I just was saying that I had the felling that she had. The desire to kiss you." She turned to look at me and her eyes were so honest I pulled out of the crouch I had taken between her and Edward.

"Its ok." I shot through my teeth. "But I would really prefer if you didn't think about my husband that way anymore."

"I promise to try as hard as possible. Just to let you know though, last night I had a really hard time." She looked between us. I could tell that she was nervous about saying it and the thought of her not wanting to talk to me about stuff like that was kind of amusing and I started giggling. I also found it funny that she could feel everything that I was feeling last night. We both headed out the back door with Nessie in tow.

EPOV

"She can tell when we are…?" I was mortified.

"Edward the whole county can tell with you two." Emmett roared from the living room where he still sat on the couch. I was about to head in there when I heard a loud thud and realized that Alice had thrown a book at his head. That would work, for now.

By the time I caught up to them by following their scent they had already found a prey and were cornering it so that Nessie could help take it down with them. They even hunted well together. I couldn't help but feel jealousy start to build up inside me. My Bella. I thought to myself. My wife. Mine.

I turned to hunt my own prey when I heard a shot. My first instinct was to protect Bella. But when I turned to her I saw that her and Tanya were looking around crazily.

"What?" I started then I realized who was missing. "Nessie?"

It was a flurry of panic that rose over me when I realized that the most fragile person in my life had come up missing when there were gun shots going off just a few miles from here.

"Nessie!"

We were all screaming searching for her. I started to search for her thoughts. They had to be around some where. Then I heard them. It sounded like she was not that far away. Just a few hundred feet east from where I was standing. I took off like a bullet and was to her in no time. When I got to her she was laying on the ground. Her thoughts that I had only searched for but not heard were in a jumble. Pain and fear were the most present in her mind. Then I saw it. The blood.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Impression

EPOV

At first I thought that she had been shot. The sound of the guns and then she disappeared. After I had yelled for Bella and Tanya I had checked over her but I did not find any bullets. What I found instead were large gashes. It looked as though she had been attacked. I was scared beyond recognition but I was relieved that it was not a bullet. For whatever reason my brain told me that would have been much worse.

She also had fresh blood on her chin as though she had been eating. After picking her up and running as fast as possible with out jolting her too much back to the house I decided to see what she had found by tasting the blood on her chin. I thought I would kill my brother.

"Grizzly" Was all that I could manage to get out before the growl I had been holding in erupted with a large force from my stomach. Alice would not be able to see what is going on since I have Nessie with me so they wont have anything ready. "Call Carlisle. Tell him to get ready." I screamed at Bella with maybe a little too much force.

I scanned Nessie's thoughts to see if there was anything that I could get from them to tell me why she had gone after a grizzly. Her thoughts were incoherent. I was only getting tiny glimpses of thoughts. Seeing Bella and Tanya help her get a kill. Sneaking off on her own when we were not paying attention. Then a flash of a thought not a memory. Her telling Emmett about her kill.

"She was trying to impress Emmett."

I heard two gasps behind me as I got to the back door of the house. Carlisle met me there. He took Nessie as I followed and explained what I gathered.

"She snuck away when we were not looking and it seems she found a Grizzly." I was pacing next to the table Carlisle was working on. "I guess she had tried to take it on herself." I stuttered away from saying that she didn't win. "I heard gun shots which alarmed me to her absence before we had realized she was even gone. I had turned to look for Bella and saw her looking for Nessie. I found her a bit away like this. I guess she had started to fight the bear and then when the gun shot had gone off it must have scared the bear away. Is there even allowed to be hunting around here this close to the town?"

"I do not believe so son." Carlisle was busy at work. "I know you are worried but if you could relax and give me some space."

I had not realized that I had been hovering so close over him watching what he was doing. "Sorry."

"Why don't you take Bella and Tanya into the living room for a few minutes. This will be hard. The bear may have been able to hurt her but I am not sure what I am going to be able to do… Maybe staples?"

Carlisle thought to himself as I lead the other two into the living area where I found Emmett. He was standing by the opposite wall looking worried when we entered.

"Dude." He started. "What happened?"

If I had not been so worried about my daughter I would have ripped his head off where he stood.

"Grizzly" I seemed to be saying that word a lot.

"Renesmee went after a grizzly bear?" Emmett sounded shocked but slightly impressed. "That's my girl" He thought to himself.

I couldn't help the hard roar that came from me. "Sorry dude." the thought as I tried to keep my feet planted where the were.

"Well she was doing it to try to impress you." I sighed at the idea of trying to impress Emmett. All she would have to do would be to get a doe and Emmett would jump up and down with excitement. He loved her just as much as the rest of us. "Guess she did it."

As the impact of my words set in I realized that there was one less person here freaking out. Alice, Jasper, and Rose were all sitting on the couch now comforting Bella and Tanya, who seemed almost more upset that Bella. The ability for them to share their emotions was really something to wonder about. But not now.

"Where is Jacob?"

"Hunting." Jasper thought. "He left right when Bella called and said what you thought had happened. I think he intends to kill the bear for hurting Nessie. He was practically exploding with revenge when he left. Angry and grief stricken. A mess if you ask me. We tried to stop him." He shrugged his shoulders. I was the only one who had heard his silent conversation.

I looked from him to where Bella was and shook my head to indicate that I didn't want him to tell Bella what he had just told me. She didn't need anything else for the two of them to get upset about. I am not sure that their fraternité will ever become a normal thing. However, I was glad that she had Tanya to help share her burdens.

"I will be right back Bella, Love." I headed for the door as I heard her and Tanya start talking to Alice and Rose again.

It didn't take me that long to find Jacob. Surely enough he was in wolf form crouched over the dead bear.

"Its just me." I guarded as he ripped his head around to see who was coming.

"What do you want? I have already killed the thing." His thoughts were possessive.

"I did not come to kill the bear. I came to check on you. Jasper said that you were really upset when you left and I wanted to make sure that you were ok." I figured that he would take it the wrong way. I was right.

"Think that I cant even take a bear down by myself Edward? I am perfectly capable of that on my own. I don't need your help." I could see the anger in his thoughts. Then I saw it. The flash of pain that I was hoping to catch. He knew that I had seen it and decided to throw up a defensive growl instead of just letting me know he was upset. "Stay out of my head Edward!"

"Jake, you know very well that I cant help that. No matter how I try. Your thoughts always sound like you are yelling at me." I knelt down next to him and patted his back. "It is ok. I am really upset too. But being out here is not going to help her any."

Then I saw the pain break though his charade. He began to cry soft rough howls and collapsed on the ground.

"I should have been there with her. Why did I decide not to go hunting with her?" His thoughts were full of regret.

"It is not your fault that she ran off. If anyone gets to blame themselves for that it is me. I am her father and I was supposed to be watching her. I am the one that failed her. Not you." The truth of my words came crashing down on me and I fell to the ground too. I cried only my empty sobs as Jake howled out to the trees.

"Look at us." His thoughts interrupted my own distraught shame filled ones. "Two grown men out in the forest crying instead of back there where she is waiting for her to be better. What is wrong with us?"

"Your right." Jacob always had the best ideas when he was incoherent. "Lets get back so that we can be there when she is awake again."

We both headed back to the house to find the entire house in tearless sobs.

"What happened?" Was the first thing out of my head.

I started picking at everyone's thoughts. It was such a jumble. I could not get any thing clearly.

"Will some one please answer me." I started to panic and headed towards the dinning room where Carlisle was working on Nessie.

"Edward." Carlisle started frantically. "I don't know what to do. I cant get cuts to close up."

He stared frantically at her upper arms and back where they were mostly visible.

"I don't know if they will just heal. I don't know what is going to happen." He sat down on a chair next to her. "She stopped bleeding but every time I try stitches it just breaks back open. If I use thread it dissolves. Staples pop out." He shook his hand in her direction. "She is stable. Other than that it is hard to say."

"She might not heal?" I was so scared that my carelessness had scarred my little Nessie for life. "Its my fault."

"Edward. You can not blame yourself for what happened. There was no way you could have known this was going to happen." Carlisle's eyes were sympathetic.

I nodded my head still not being able to see how it wasn't my fault. That is when it started happening. I pointed at Nessie over his shoulder.

"Look." I was astounded by what I saw happening. "Is she?"

"It looks like she is healing." He started to examine her wounds. As he looked at them they started to recede. "Amazing."

We watched as slowly all the spots started to disappear right before our eyes.

"You and Bella are sure making our lives more and more a rare statistic Edward." He smiled at me. "Look what your daughter is doing."

It only took about five minutes for every piece of evidence from the attack to be completely gone. Another two minutes after that and she opened her eyes.

"Daddy?" She started crying. Bless those salty tears I saw running down her cheeks. "I am so sorry. I thought I could… I just wanted to show uncle Emmett." I scooped her up in my arms and tried to sooth her.

"I know Nessie. Its ok. Calm down." I was so relieved that I thought I would never let her out of my sight again.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Realizing

BPOV

With what happened with Renesmee Edward and I decided that she should stay in our room every night. We would always go with her when she hunted. We would always make sure that we were there with her.

After four days Nessie started to voice her own opinions on what was going on.

"Why cant I go with Auntie Alice and Uncle Jasper?" She urged one morning when they were going to hunt. "I will be safe with them."

"It is not that we don't trust you or them Nessie." I tried to explain to her. "We just want to be with you. We love you."

"Why does aunt Tanya have to be here every day?" Tanya had been there with us taking care of Nessie the past few days too. "She doesn't even live here. She really isn't my aunt either."

"Renesmee Carlie Cullen. You take that back right now." I argued. "She has been here to see you all these days and that is how you act?"

I knew that Tanya had not only been here for Nessie. I knew that Nessie really didn't have anything to do with it. She wanted to be here just like I wanted her here.

"Sorry."

"Nessie I really don't like those type of thoughts." Edward finally joined in the fight. "What did we talk about the other day?"

"We don't think bad things about people because they don't think bad things about us." She copied Edwards tone.

"I am sorry that you think we are torturing you." Edward eyed her.

"Really Bella, Edward, we can take care of her." Alice interjected.

I looked at her sympathetically. "I know you mean well Alice. Its just that if anything were to happen, and I am not saying that it will, but if it were to happen. We would be devastated that we weren't there."

"That is life." I heard Esme's smooth tone enter the conversation. "If we had taken to Edward the way that you are taking to Nessie then he would have never been able to see you. The thought of something bad happening was there every second of every day he spent with you."

I had the hardest time disagreeing with Esme. She was always right. She only interjected her opinion in when it was dire and she knew it was right.

I thought about it for a minute. Then I sighed, "You have a three mile radius around this house in which to hunt."

I retired onto the couch where Tanya automatically joined me. Over the past few days our style had converged. We were now wearing jeans with some sort of cute shirt. A nice compromise we thought. Of course we had to have the most adorable shoes available.

As I sat admiring my shoes I starting to think of the cutest yellow blouse hanging in my closet upstairs and I thought to myself that I didn't have the right shoes to go with that top. As I sat pairing my shoes and that shirt up in my head I heard Tanya speak up.

"Alice." She barely caught her before she made it out the back door. "Do you think that we could go shoe shopping this afternoon? I have to get me some new shoes."

I turned to look at Tanya. "I was just thinking that same thing."

"I would love to go." Alice smirked at us. "When we get back we can head out. I was wanting to get Nessie some new things too. What do you say Nessie want to go shopping with us later?"

"Sure." Nessie bounded out the door behind Jasper soon followed by Alice smiling hugely.

Tanya, Esme and I sat and talked for about an hour or so while they were gone hunting.

"I am so glad that you guys moved up here." Tanya admitted to Esme.

"Indeed." Esme answered. "It does seem that we made a good decision. I am really happy that the two of you have gotten to know each other so well. I was just wondering something this morning while talking to Rose."

"Yes?" I questioned.

"Have you two realized that you are leaving your sisters out of this little loop?" She frowned as though it was hard for her to say this. "I understand that you probably didn't even think of it that way. That you are just so happy to make each other happy. I just wonder if you really know what would make each other happy."

"What does that mean?" I was not sure that I fully understood what she was saying.

"I didn't mean to offend you. I was simply saying this, Bella wouldn't you love for Alice and Rose to be able to hang out with you two too?" She inquired.

I thought for a moment and then I realized that I did miss them. "Very much. I would love to be able to hang out with them too."

"And Tanya how are Kate and Carmen dealing with this?" She looked to her. "They lost Irina and now I am quite sure that they must feel that she lost you too."

"I have been thinking that I am leaving them alone a lot." She frowned at herself for letting it get so bad that Esme decided to interfere.

"And Edward." I added.

"Precisely." Esme sounded relieved that we understood her point. "I am not trying to pry but I think that it would be nice if Rose, Carmen and Kate went shopping with you guys too?"

"Carmen and Eleazar are away today." Tanya added.

"Alright." Esme responded to Tanya's statement. "I know that you go home and spend time with Carmen, Kate and Eleazar, Tanya but, Bella the past few nights I know that you and Edward have been keeping such an eye on Nessie that you have not spent time to yourselves at all."

"Your right Esme." I thought of how much I missed Edward. I was now really glad that he had skipped out with Emmett about twenty minutes earlier right after Nessie left.

"I know that it is hard for you two to be away from each other for long periods of time. Hear me out though. I think that this weekend the two of you should spend time with your loved ones." She paused briefly to let the idea sink in. "I am going to talk to Edward and have him take you out. Some where nice and I don't want you to come back until Sunday evening."

My jaw dropped at the tone of authority in her voice.

"I have no way to tell you what to do Tanya but I would think your family would love to have you home for the weekend." She looked sternly at her. Esme was always and will always be a mother figure to all that she knew.

"Your right. They would love that." She admitted.

"I will be keeping Nessie with me and Carlisle. She will be fine." She smiled pleasantly at us.

I heard Edward and Emmett in the front yard. I didn't want Edward to know what we were talking about until it was just him and Esme so I pushed my shield out to cover Tanya and Esme.

Edward came in the door then looked over to us. I felt a small push on my shield and I smiled up at him. "If you don't want me to know then I don't want to know." The push on my defense disappeared as he kissed me on the forehead before heading up the stairs.

"I would just prefer that you got your chance to talk to him while we are gone." I answered Esme's questioning stare.

It was only a few minutes before Nessie, Alice and Jasper returned.

"Ready?" Alice was practically bouncing.

"Alice?" I was thinking. "What is the most people that we can fit in to one of our cars?"

"Six I think. Why?"

I silently counted in my head. Me, Tanya, Alice, Nessie, Rose, Kate.

"I was thinking that we should invite Rose and Kate to go with us." I answered.

"What a nice idea." Alice mused.

"Actually, it was Esme's idea." I smiled at her.

"Let me go and find Rose while you guys call Kate." Alice flew up the stairs.

"Momma?" Nessie climbed up into my lap.

"What is it darling?" I cuddled her in my arms.

She touched her hand to my face. I saw the images of her hunting trip. Then I saw her asleep on her bed.

"Are you sleepy baby?" I questioned as she yawned on my shoulder.

"Yes." She started to close her eyes.

"Why don't you let her stay here with me and you can go with them." Esme walked over and gently lifted Nessie from my lap. "You can fit better in the car if she stays here anyways."

As she walked up the stairs with Nessie to put her to bed I turned to Tanya. "Without Nessie we can ride in Rose's car. She would love to be able to show off that M3 of hers."

Tanya smiled at me in agreement.

When we had called Kate and gathered Rose we were headed out the door.

The shopping was so much fun. The clothes here had such a different style than those back in forks. They needed more warmth here than I was used to. That added to the fur and layers that were everywhere in the windows of stores we visited. After we were done we had filled the car up to the top with bags.

"So much for shopping for shoes." Me and Tanya laughed at Alice's assumption.

"Oh well. The new designs and styles are so interesting." I admitted to Alice. "I needed more clothes to fit in around here."

We all laughed at my feeble excuse. "Ok so I had such a good time shopping."

Everyone nodded in agreement as we drove up to Tanya's house to drop her and Kate off.

"I guess I will call you tomorrow?" Tanya looked at me questioningly.

"I will have my cell if nothing else." I assured her.

"Alright. But let me know the moment you are going to be back on Sunday!" She climbed out of the car and turned to look at me.

"Promise." I smiled at her as she closed the door and walked at abnormal speed up to the house and then she was gone in the house.

"Where are you going?" Rose asked as she pulled out of their long driveway.

"Esme thinks that Edward and I need some time alone." I answered as I started to think of the amazing weekend surely ahead of me. "I think that I will allow Edward to pamper my however he wants this weekend."

"I think that you and Tanya are so great for each other." Alice stated and then she and Rose started laughing. "You would never have said anything like that before you started hanging out with Tanya. Admit it."

I just turned away from them because I knew that they were right. I could not help it that I wanted him to pamper me all of a sudden.

We pulled up to the house and I saw Edward on the front porch.

Alice was the first out of the car with Rose right behind her. They smiled at each other and then Alice turned to Edward.

"Oh really?" Edward looked from Alice to me. "Is that right Bella?"

I should have thought to put my shield up over Alice and Rose when we pulled up. I knew that they were going to do this to me.

"Great." I grimaced. "Thanks a lot girls."

"Oh come on." Rose said. "If you just let him adore you I promise that you will enjoy it!"

I had no doubt that Rose didn't love being adored. I smiled to myself as I thought of Rose trying to tell Emmett that she didn't want to be pampered. A small laugh escaped me at the idea of it.

Edward looked at me curiously.

"Its nothing." I uttered as I walked into the house. "Lets pack!"


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

The Weekend

"No need for that." He reached out to grab my hand, "I have already packed our things. We just need to head out to the car."

"I have to say bye to Nessie." I pulled him back towards the house.

"Alright." He smiled at me.

After telling Nessie bye and sharing the same gesture with everyone else we were in Edwards Volvo heading out.

I had no idea where we were going and though I had tried to pry it out of him Edward didn't seem to want to tell me.

"What could you possibly have gotten arranged in just a few hours?" My curiosity was really getting the best of me. "Please Edward tell me where we are going."

"It is a surprise darling." He winked at me and then went back to humming to the sounds of the music that we were listening to.

I had no idea where we were. Even if I had known exactly where we started I would not have been able to follow where we were headed. For a while I felt we were going west. Then I had a distinct feeling that we were going south. After changing directions about four more times I gave up and decided to just wait it out.

We drove all through the night and into the morning. We talked about lots of things. How we loved the raw beauty of the wilderness around our new home. How we couldn't wait until Nessie started school. What we were going to do in a few years when she is full grown.

"Do you think she will want Jacob?" Edward asked me.

"I have a feeling that she will." I remembered the day she asked me if Jake thought she was pretty. "I think she will."

It took Edward a few minutes to respond. "What am I going to have to do to that pup to make him understand?"

"Understand what Edward?"

"That if he ever hurts her in anyway. Ever even thinks of touching her." His words trailed off into a low growl.

"Edward." I laughed at him. "You do realize that she is going to be a grown woman. She is going to want Jake to be with her. Not just as a friend or to help her with her homework. She is going to want to be with Jake. Like me and you wanted to be together. We cant stop that from happening."

"Want to make a bet?" He smiled at me. We both started laughing.

We had just finished laughing when the car slowed and turned onto a small road.

There were trees everywhere. It was so pretty. The moss on the trees made it seem like the whole world was this beautiful emerald color. I felt that I was in a fairy tale far away.

"Where are we?" I questioned as I continued to stare at the beauty out my window.

"You will see in just a few minutes." I could tell that he was happy to be able to surprise me.

It was not really something that he was used to. Before we met he had Alice to deal with. Nothing was ever a surprise for Alice. Then I came along. I hated anything that even hinted at the idea of a surprise.

I felt so giddy at not knowing what was going to happen. What was happening to me? I smiled to myself at the realization that I really didn't care what was happening.

"Happy Bella?" He had noticed my smile.

"How could I not be?" I leaned over to give him a kiss. I smiled as the car came to a stop. I looked out the windshield to see a beautiful Hotel set back in the trees. There was a large sign that read "Homeland Hotel".

There was a large entrance that led to a drive that took you right up to the front doors where there were men dressed up waiting for us to pull up.

We pulled up under the awning and our doors opened for us.

"Thank you." I smiled warmly at the man who had reached for my hand. When I stood up and looked at him I heard his heart skip a beat.

"Uh-huh." Was all he could manage. Would I ever get used to being so attractive to everyone?

"We will get your bags for you sir." I heard the other man talking to Edward. It only took a few seconds and Edward was at my side taking my hand and leading me into the lobby.

"Do you like it Love?" He whispered in my ear.

"Like it?" I looked around at the brilliant colors and columns that were all around. The ceiling was a painting of cherubs and angels. The floor was a basic tile with paint splatters on it. In the distance I could hear the sound of elevators and waterfalls. "I love it."

After Edward had gotten us checked into our room. Suite 12 was the room number.

"How did you get a suite at a hotel like this on such short notice?" I asked though I already had an idea.

"It is amazing what a little donation to the hotel can get you."

We rode up the elevator to our room to get our things unpacked.

"We do have to hurry." Edward told me as we were putting our clothes on hangers. "I have something planned."

Turns out that he had the entire day planned out. From the massage when we first arrived to swimming in the pool after that. At the end of the day we had indulged in about every spa treatment available at the hotel.

We locked ourselves in our room when it was a late enough hour that most everything was closed down for the day.

"I love this place." I admitted to Edward as I combed out my hair. "I cant believe how pretty it is."

"I cant believe that you let me pamper you to spa treatments all day long." Edward walked up behind me and put his arms around my waist. "I do love to make you happy."

"I love you making me happy." I turned to face him and put my arms around his neck.

"What shall we do now Love?" He kissed on my nose.

"I think that we should get to spending time together like Esme really meant for us to." I reached up and kissed him with as much passion as I could muster.

"I think that sounds like a great idea." He picked me up and kissed me the way he never used to when I was human.

The next thing we knew the sun was coming through the blinds on the window of our room.

"Not morning." I whimpered.

"That means we have to get up Bella. I have things planned for today." Edward was already heading for the closet where we had our clothes.

"What are our plans for the day?" I asked. "Something fun?"

"Always something fun darling." He smiled that crooked grin and walked into the bathroom.

Then my phone started ringing.

"Good Morning Tanya!" I was really happy to hear from her after not getting to talk to her yesterday.

"Bella." She sounded excited too. "Guess what happened. Garrett finally got back!"

"That is great." It had been weeks since he had left to tie some loose ends before he moved up here with Kate. "I bet Kate is happy to see him."

"She is indeed." I heard her giggle on the other end of the line. "Something else has happened too."

"What?" I could hardly hold it in.

"I met some one last night." What?

"Really?" I was ecstatic. "That is so great. What's his name?"

"Brian." I could tell that she was smiling even through the phone. I couldn't help but smile too. This was wonderful. She will be able to have some one to spend time with. "Is that not the most amazing name?"

"It is. So tell me about him."

"Well he is a wanderer. Never really stayed put in any place too long." She paused for a moment. "Cause he isn't a vegetarian."

"Wait. What?" I started worrying about Jake sitting at home with a vampire on the loose. Was I seriously worrying about him being around a vampire? He lived in a house with eight and a half vampires. This one was different.

"Calm down Bella." Tanya interrupted my freaking out. "I told him about our life style and he is so intrigued by the idea of it. He has such a hard time dealing with hunting because of his gift."

"He has a special ability too?" This was good news. "What is it?"

"I would say it is kind of like Edwards gift. Not exactly thought. When he gets close to people he can see the people they are thinking about. He cant hear their thoughts. He has no idea what about this person they are thinking. He can just see a face." She paused. "Isn't that interesting?"

"Wow. That is really great."

"Well it makes it hard for him to live that way. When he gets close to some one he can see people's faces. He has no idea if they are related or friends. It could be some one's mother or father. Husband or wife." She sighed. "It makes it hard for him. To know that they have people waiting at home for them. He says it would be easier if he could just block out the fact that they had families. So I told him about our hunting habits. I told him that it is hard at first but that it gets easier. He said he is willing to learn about it. Isn't that amazing?"

"Bella darling we have a schedule to keep up with." Edward called from the bathroom.

"Tanya that is really great." I was so happy for her. "I have to go though. Edward has something planned."

"Oh. Well have fun! I will see you when you get home!"

She hung up the phone and I went to the closet to pick out some clothes.

It did not take too long before we were outside waiting on our car to be brought around to us.

"Bella?" Edward turned to me. "What is your favorite color today?"

I looked up at him. "Kind of an amber, topaz. Why do you ask?"

"Amber topaz?" He smiled realizing what I meant. "Just curious."

He put his arm around me and patted my arm.

"Your not going to tell me?"

"Not yet, No." He kissed the top of my head.

I then realized that I had not told him about Tanya. He would know my side of the conversation but not Tanya's.

Considering it would be inconvenient to discuss vampire eating habits here in front of the door hops I decided to let Edward hear the conversation from my thoughts. I opened up my defense and pushed it away from me.

His face lit up for a second then when he realized what I was showing him he regained his posture. At the end of the "conversation" I pulled my shield back on me.

"Very nice." He whispered to me. "Interesting too."

He fell quiet and I knew that he was in deep thought about Brian and his "power". I know that it is really more of an ability than a power. Edward looks at me funny when I call them "powers" but to me that is just what it is like. Who wouldn't want to be a vampire superhero?

The car ride was quiet until we pulled up at a small shopping center. We parked close to the first building.

"Patsy's Pawn and Antiques." That was the name on the sign. Edward got my door for me and lead me into the little shop. It most definitely had that old rustic smell. I loved that smell. There were little nick knacks and dolls and all kinds of old things just everywhere.

We walked around looking at everything for about an hour when I came across the most beautiful necklace that I had ever seen. It was a silver chain with a crest hanging from it. I didn't know what it stood for but it was so pretty. There was a lady in a dress and it looked like she had a halo. There was a tree next to her and in front of her was a small child. I admired the craftsmanship of the metal when Edward whispered in my ear.

"It's the guardian symbol." He picked it up from my hand. "The lady is supposed to be angelic but not an angel. She follows the child around to make sure that it is safe."

"Like a mother." I added to his explanation.

"Exactly! It was a big symbol about forty years ago. Down in the southern states at least." He smiled at me. "Do you like it Bella my love?"

"Yes. It is so pretty." I smiled at him.

"Then its yours." He held on to it as we walked around the rest of the building.

When we got to the counter I noticed the lady behind the counter for the first time. She had been in the back when we got here and had gone all the way around the store as not to disturb our looking. She was shockingly pretty. Pale skin and a light golden color to her eyes.

I gasped when I realized the scent of her. "Lilies?"

"Freesias?" She whispered back to me. Then she looked up to Edward.

"Edward Cullen?" She looked taken aback. "I heard that the Vulturi were after you."

We both knew what she meant. We should be dead. When the Vulturi decide to get you usually you came up missing.

"They were." Edward answered. "For the wrong reasons. We disproved them and they left. After Bella made it impossible for them to use Jane or Alec." He gave me a squeeze.

"Wow that must be some power you have there." She still looked at us warily. She had called it a power. Finally another person who saw it as I had.

"Its nothing really." I tried to be modest. I pushed my shield away again towards Edward. _What is her name Edward?_ I asked and then let my shield recoil.

"I am sorry Bella. This is Ruby. Ruby this is my Bella. My wife." He smiled up at her after giving me yet another kiss on my cheek.

"I am sorry that I did not attend the wedding. Business is busy during the summer." She seemed to be avoiding something. "So how is the family?"

"Carlisle is fine." He glared at her.

"I was meaning your whole family." She glared right back at him.

"What is going on?" I questioned.

"Nothing Bella. It just seems that a long past rivalry is still being harbored here." He continued to stare her down. "I thought you would have gotten over this by now Ruby."

I heard the bell over the door ding again meaning that another customer had entered.

"We would like this necklace." Edward had completely changed his posture and tone.

When we left Edward asked if I wanted to continue shopping or if I wanted to head back to the hotel. I told him that after my necklace I doubted that I would be able to find anything else to catch my eye. We headed back to the hotel.

"So are you going to tell me about that?" I requested after several minutes of silence.

"Ruby." Edward started. "We met her just a few years after Carlisle changed me and Esme. She developed a liking for Carlisle and decided that she hated Esme."

"Hate Esme?" The idea was ridiculous. How could anyone hate Esme?

"Exactly." Edward took a deep breath. "She did everything in her power to try and split them up. That was decades ago. I only took you there in the hopes that she would have moved on by now. Maybe found a mate. Apparently not."

"Oh." I thought about it for a minute. "She was really pretty."

"If you say so. I have a hard time picturing some one pretty when they hold on to such hate filled memories for so long."

I suddenly felt uncontrollably happy. I started smiling and laughing. I could barely hold myself in my seat.

"Bella?" Edward looked at me. "What are you doing?"

"I don't know. I am just so happy." Then I started to cry. "I am so happy."

At that moment Edward was on the phone.

"Carlisle? Have you spoken to Tanya today?" There was a pause as Edward listened to Carlisle's response. "Oh really? Well that explains the sudden fit of laughter. Tell her we said congratulations."

Edward had closed the phone. "Brian and Tanya are hitting it off nicely. Brian asked Tanya if he could stay with them for a while. A rare thing for a wanderer. Well Garrett and now this Brian."

"That is so great. I am so happy for her."

When we got back to our hotel we decided to spend some more time together before we had to leave in the morning.

"Such love used to only exist in my books." I smiled up at Edward.

"Love never existed until I met you Bella."

That was the last conversation that came from our room until early the next morning when we started to get our things together.

"What a great weekend." I exclaimed to Edward as we checked out.

"I am glad that you enjoyed it. I am just sad that I could not pamper you more. You must promise me that you will hold on to that sentiment until I can fully splurge on you. Promise?"

"I promise to try?" I smiled as we drove back towards Denali and to our home.


End file.
